As Time Goes By
by Xenolord
Summary: Set 1500 years in the future, a small unit of soldiers must fight a Paxian invasion, and hopefully stop their beloved city from falling to the barbarians. Shoujo ai, action, comedy, Hurt Comfort. Finished. Finally.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Artix Entertainment or Adventure Quest. Most of this is my own genius shining through. I own Maria Despair. I do not own Safiria. All other characters are my own, unless stated otherwise. I do not own Rayne Anasi, Lizzie Miura, Shiro Kiba, Amourous, Felix, Saya Hitai, or any other Adventure Quest characters created by Artix Entertainment.

Author's Note: This story takes place 1500 years after the events of my previous AQ Fanfictions. If you've ever read "Tenth Man Down", it takes place in an age similar to that. If you have questions, don't worry, you'll get answers.

As Time Goes By

Prologue

"Alright you worthless dogs! Get ready for a hot drop! We've got a detachment of Paxian Shell Hounds closing in! Start cookin' that SynGic or it'll go cold on you! Drop bays opening in five!" A gruff voice shouted through the PA, the reverberations echoing within the Drop Pod.

"Shit... right outta basic into this. They better pay well." A man in the pod muttered.

"You here for the pay, boy?" A second continued.

"Yes, sir." The first responded. The second let out a loud cackle.

"Haha! Then you're in the wrong branch, son! You're lookin' for Sience Devision! They get all the big bucks!"

"Drop in two!" The voice over the PA boomed.

"Well, then what do we get, sarge?" The first continued. The second voice cackled again.

"We get out asses shot off!"

"GO! GO! GO!" The PA boomed a third time. There came the discomforting lurch of the Drop Pod coming loose from it's locking mechanism, falling to the battlefield below. A woman towards the back of the pod hugged her chain gun. A man beside her kept unloading and reloading the same clip into his C-1 Assault Rifle. A woman beside him continually twirled a pistol around her finger, checking her medical kit.

"Light 'em up!" The second voice from before echoed, the arm rest of the chairs everyone was sitting on opening, dispensing a syringe filled with a glowing, metallic blue goo. Everyone, as they had trained, grabbed the syringe, jammed the needle into the small receiving port on the left wrist of their suit, and pushed the plunger down.

"SynGic systems operating at 100." A series of voices droned in a low tone, a single voice from each suit.

"HEAVY!" The second voice continued.

"Sir!" A female voice called, the origin was the woman hugging the chain gun, her face hidden behind her visor. Across her chest plate was written 'Vampress', her callsign.

"Once we kiss the ground, you're out front! Give 'em hell!" The second continued. "There's gonna be a trench a few hundred meters out of the pod, get there! Vampress, give your unit cover!"

"Yes sir!"

"Touchdown in ten." A computer droned in the pod. Several of the people, their faces, like Vampress', hidden behind their yellow and black visors, began preparing. Preparing for the worst.

"Three. Two. One. Touchdown." There came a thud, showing that the pod had hit the ground, ending it's freefall. Vampress stood, walked to the door and bared her weapon. Across it's barrel was written 'Natalya', it's name. Pressing a button on the back handle, the barrel began spinning. With a hiss, the doors fell open, showing a line of Paxian Shell Hounds, the reptilian creatures advancing. The moment the Shell Hounds saw the pod doors open, Vampress began spray-firing her weapon, killing dozens in front.

"It wasn't always like this..."

-Earlier-

The city of Babylonia, a bustling city situated in the center of the largest continent on Lore, was both a political and military hub. The largest feature was the military base situated outside the city boundaries.

The time was somewhere around dusk, possibly ten or so at night. A line of new recruits lined in the moonlight, standing at attention in formation. A single figure paced up and down the line, inspecting the recruits.

"...The sorriest bunch of bottom-feeding maggots I've EVER seen!" The man bellowed. "You! Where are you from son?" He pointed to one of the recruits, his purple hair twitching in the low wind.

"SIR! Lolosia! SIR!" He shouted, never flinching.

"Lolosia? Son, you know what comes from Lolosia right? Queers and cattle! And you sure as HELL don't look like a bovine!" He continued. "YOU!" He pointed to a woman with green hair. "Where you from, sweetheart?"

"SIR!" She started, speechless.

"Well speak up!"

"SIR! Frostvale, SIR!" She replied.

"Ah, so you one of them Popsicles, huh? Well, I hope you like the heat here, cause it's MY crucible that'll test your mettle, soldiers!" He began pacing again. "Alright. Tonight, you'll be running a little obstacle course for me. Nothin' too dangerous, just mind the crocodiles halfway through." He chuckled. "By the way. Name's Sergeant Richard Eisenberg. But as far as you are concerned, it's either Sergeant, or Sir! Understand me?" There came the general consensus of 'SIR! YES, SIR!' coming from the recruits. "Alright, maggots. Get ready! On your mark! GO!" He shouted. All the soldiers-in-training took off and jumped head first into the obstacle course.

Eisenberg was right. It wasn't too difficult. You average stuff. Tire Hoops, Rope Swings, Wall Climb, Barbed Wire for crawling, the usual. But one thing unusal about the whole things is, one soldier pulled out from the crowd and blazed through the entire course, before everyone else was halfway through.

"Well, call me the son of a Paxian whore... Com'ere, son!" He shouted to the soldier.

"Sir?" A female voice answered.

"Popsicle. How'd you do that?" The woman smiled, and shrugged.

"Oh, it's nothing, sir."

"You're not even heaving... you've got some stamina, girl. Good to see. A lot better then these USELESS MAGGOTS!" He shouted to the others who were still struggling.

The time finally came when all of the recruits had finished the course With the Lolosian man finishing after Popsicle.

"Alright, boys and girlies. Let's see how good you can do in the fray. YOU!" He pointed to the Lolosian man. He stepped up.

"SIR!"

"Congratulations, son! You've just been shot! I want you on the ground!" He pointed to him and smiled as he spoke.

"SIR! Yes sir!" He dropped to his back.

"Excellent." The man beside Popsicle laughed. "What're you laughin' at boy? Guess what!? You've just been shot, too! I want you on the ground!"

"SIR! Yes sir!" He, too, went to his back.

Eisenberg went down the line like this, telling every other person they've just been shot, and to get on the ground. Popsicle was one who was not shot.

"Alright. People who have NOT been shot, I want you to look to your right! This person is your charge. You are to get them to the helicopter. But guess what?! The helicopter's on the other side of the obstacle course!! That's right sweet cheeks, I want you to run the obstacle course AGAIN, with the person to your right... on your shoulder! Last person there doesn't eat tomorrow morning! Get ready!" Popsicle pulled the Lolosian man onto her shoulder and readied herself. Most of the other recruits were having problems picking up their charges. "GO!" He shouted. And like that, Popsicle was off like a bullet, leaving the other in her dust. She leapt up the rock wall without a second thought, slid under the barbed wire like it was grease under her, and swung effortlessly across the water trap. She landed on the other side, placed the Lolosian man by the cut-out helicopter, and crouched down.

"Sir! All ready for evac, sir!" She shouted. Eisenberg walked over.

"Sir... remind me if I'm ever shot, to make sure she's on my right..." The Lolosian man spoke. Eisenberg looked at him hard. "Sir." He added in. Eisenberg smiled.

"Popsicle, you keep up this, and I might let you save my ass. HURRY UP YOU MAGGOTS! YOU'RE AN EMBARRASMENT TO YOURSELF AND YOUR MOMMA!" The other soldiers tried to keep up, but Popsicle was just too fast.

In the end, someone did end up with no breakfast in the morning, but that's only because he dropped his charge seven or eight times before getting to the cut-out helicopter "What the sam hell you doin' son! I pity the poor SOB you have to save! You might kill him in the process!

Sergeant Eisenberg had allowed them to get some sleep. Sleep, however, was one thing Popsicle couldn't do easily. She stood outside, on the very course she had been earlier, looking at the moon.

"It's beautiful..." She said to herself.

"It always is." A second female voice echoed. Popsicle turned around to see a woman with long black hair dressed in a red recruit's uniform walk up. She had a weird aura about her. "How was the day, Kitten?"

"Hell. Like always. How was YOUR day, Safiria?" Safiria chuckled.

"Ah, you know. This. That. Everything." Safiria smiled, but it quickly shifted to a frown. "What's wrong, Kitten? You look sad." She noted Popsicle's frown.

"Ah... it's nothing... yet... everything I think about. I think that... I've been alive for well over 1300 years, and every thing's changed so much... I don't know anyone... it's terrible, this feeling I have. I make friends, they live, changing year by year, until they finally die. I watch them die, the question of why I look as I always have goes unanswered." She sighed heavily, defeated.

"Maria..."

"No... Maria died 1500 years ago... The Maria Despair you fell in love with is dead. It's... just a name now. It holds no meaning."

"Don't you say that, Kitten. You'll always be my Maria. That little kitten who wandered, so lost and confused, to my castle. The little Maria I-"

"Took advantage of?" Maria spoke, more to herself. To anyone else, this would be an insult, but Safiria was used to it.

"Maria... I know what you mean when you say these nasty things... You lost your sister, your daughter... our daughter... and you live in an alien time... it's not meant to be..."

"Oh? If it's not meant to be, then why IS it?"

"It's confusing... even for me... You fell so far in the years..."

"'Fell so far'?!" Maria almost bellowed. "I didn't 'fall', Safiria, I was dragged down by a... system that I didn't understand. When you said I'd always look like this... I didn't think you meant I'd ALWAYS look like this. I look in the mirror some mornings and... I fight the urge to vomit. I'm sick at myself... I look and all I see is this shell looking back at me. This... THING that used to be Maria Despair. I pass my unlife eon after eon, watching change and evolution. I watch the names of my friends, the people who DIED for this world, the names of my friends tossed around in daily conversation, like they were some diety... but they were just... normal people. Just like me...

"NO! I'm not normal! I've never been normal, and I'll never be normal!" She sighed heavily, defeated. "Shit... I'm surprised you've stayed with me for all this time."

"Maria... I love you. I always have, and the only thing that will change that is the end of the world."

"Do you know why I finally decided to join the military again, Safiria?" Maria asked.

"You wanted to get back in the saddle? Test you strength again?"

"No. I did it to honor all my friends. Rayne... Lizzie... Aria... Artix... Wolfblitzer... all of them. Especially Natalya and Serras. My sister always believed in me, and I need to do her memory justice."

"Maria... you need to sleep. You'll never make it through tomorrow if you don't."

"Yea... yea I do..." Maria sighed deafeated and continued to her bunk. "G'night Safiria. Sleep well." She muttered, dissappearing into the barracks.

"Good night, Kitten."


	2. Now and Then

Chapter One: Then and Now

Lore is a place of unending conflict. "Peace", "Calm", "Cease-Fire", these are but words that hold no more meaning then a chance to reload weapons and train new recruits. Lore has always been in a state of Limbo, recovering from the last conflict only to be thrust into the next. It's a cruel, never ending cycle.

And even in this time, the time after the Devourer's reign, the time where Science and Technology have taken over, war is a guaranteed.

"I was born Maria Despair in a time well before any record has been made. I lived in, what modern day scientists call the "Golden Era" of Lore, a time when beasts, dragons, lizard men, and heroes lived. A time where people set out into the world, fought with these creatures for no other reason then to better the world. No personal gain... no prestige was worth risking their lives. Only to make Lore safer for the average Joe.

"Lore has changed so much in the 1500 years I've watched, waited. Maybe... just maybe if someone else know's Lore's history... I might sleep better at night.

"My... ascension to immortality was stuff of legends. On the eve of my nineteenth birthday, I was assigned as the body guard to Queen Safiria, queen of the Vampires of Lore. It was an assignment that would change my... unlife... forever.

"I fell in love with the Vampress almost instantly. We spent the night together, and... in that one moment... the heat of a single moment, she bit me, draining all the vital blood from my body. In this action, she blessed me, allowing me to stay at her side forever, never parting. But in this action, she cursed me. And not just bloodsucking and sun dodging. I can deal with that. She cursed me to look in the mirror every day, and see just what I've become. A porcelain doll. A... thing damned to look at herself in the mirror and say 'god... I still look eighteen.'

"I had a sister... I don't remember what she looked like, or how she sounded. All I remember is her name. Natalya Despair. The woman who never lost faith in me, even on her death bed. She died as any warrior would want. In battle against a demon... the Dragon King. She was just a kid...

"Serras Nerra... the only person I remember with any clarity. Serras was Natalya's love, as Safiria is mine. She was so full of life... until Natalya died. She cried over her grave for years after that, a recluse, shunning all society, living her life in obscurity.

"Rayne... All I remember of Rayne is how she died. It was the stupidest thing you'd ever think, and you won't believe me when I tell you... but she was killed in a freak accident when a Drakel scientist was showing the people of Battleon how to use guns. I guess those bullets gotta come down somewhere...

"Lizzie was shattered with Rayne's death, and went on a five year rampage throughout Drakel lands, killing countless of them, trying to bring Rayne back. She blamed the Drakel for Rayne's death... and I suppose in a sick way, she was right. Her blood rage was finally ended when she was brought before the Drakel courts in their Super City of Ren-Tiak, found guilty and executed. If that wasn't enough, they hung her corpse outside the city for all to see... She was such a sweet little girl...

"Artix and Wolfblitzer died when the Guardian Tower collapsed a while ago. Crushed under thousands of tons of stone. I still remember Artix's last words... 'You're great, Maria... don't let anyone tell you otherwise...'

"Robina and Valencia at least had the honor of dying in each other's arms. I don't know the details, but they were exploring a cave, and it collapsed sealing them in. We found them six days later, starved to death.

"The only person who lived even a remotely full life was Aria. She died at the somewhat ripe age of fifty three when a wild Vampragon got loose and knocked a chandelier off the ceiling, killing her.

"As for Trip... Trip finally got what was coming to her, I suppose. Late one night, a Werewolf creapt into her home and killed her as she slept. An Eye For An Eye, I suppose.

"Felix... god... I... I don't even remember how she died... it was stupid... something that, had it not killed her, we could have laughed about. Stupid... but terrible.

"And Gale... my dear... dear, beloved Gale... I remember everything about Gale. Her life, how she looked, her voice, and even her death. Gale had told me once, on her eighteenth birthday, that she wanted to join the Guardians. She felt she owed me that much. I was happy for her. I wanted her to set out and see the world.

"If only that's the only thing she saw.

"It seems... I didn't get them all. I can't believe it... I didn't kill all of those bastards! The explosion! The weapon fire! It WASN'T enough!

"DrakZombies. Creatures of your worst nightmares. Neither living nor dead. Demons through and through. When Gale was twenty nine, she came in contact with a pack of them... she never stood a chance. Not one. I suppose... in a way... I was no better then Lizzie when Gale died. I scoured the country side looking for them. Each one I found... It wasn't enough. There was always ONE MORE! One more I had to find... one more to kill...

"I miss Gale the most. Safiria thinks that I'd kill her to bring back Gale... and I suppose... in a way... it's true. I'd do anything to see Gale again. I miss her so much.

"With the death of the Devourer, Lore was plunged into an eon of peace. But that peace came at a grave cost. The people of Lore steadily began to loose their magical connection. Each generation of children born was born with a weaker and weaker connection to the Ethereal Realm, and consequently, weaker Magic. Soon, it was gone. People were as mundane as rabbits.

"In time, with the Drakel's assistance, we managed to develop of synthetic magic. An arboreal concoction they call SynGic, Synthetic Magic. It requires a constant injection of the solution to hold it's charge for any length.

"If that wasn't enough, our age of development was stunted when a group of Drakel thought it was a sin for them to share their technology with us, and broke away to the Paxian Islands.

"But it wasn't all doom and gloom. Even Lore had a time of change. After the Devourer, the seas released acres of land they had claimed even years before I was born. Mountains rescinded, leaving lush valleys and fields in their wake. The massive towers and spires of what I knew of Lore died, leaving room for cities and schools.

"Battleon... as for Battleon, it wasn't saved from the change. As time wore on, people began to forget why it was called Battleon, the names and faces of it's Guardians drowned forever, remembered only by a statue which was erected in the center of town.

"As for the town itself, people began slurring 'Battleon' into 'Babylon'. So that's what the town was eventually renamed to. People loved it.

"I despised the idea. They took everything I loved, everything I held dear, and pissed all over it.

"But I stayed quiet. I stayed quiet, because I had lived long enough to know that when people don't know when to shut there traps, they die.

"And so. Here I am, trapped in an Alien time, with only Safiria as a reminder of happier times. Only my memories to keep me warm at night. I wonder if I'll live long in this world, or if I'll live to see my 2000th birthday..."

"Alright you maggots! Sleep time's over!"


	3. Shadow of the Past

Late Author's Note: In case you guys haven't figured it out yet, "As Time Goes By" is based on the 1958 work of Mr. Robert A. Heinlein "Starship Troopers". The book, not the movie. I liked the book better. The movie wasn't bad, but I preferred the book.

Shadow of the Past

Two

"Alright, maggots! Sleep time's over! Time to get up and show your worth to those Paxian Dogs!" Eisenberg shouted, getting all of Maria's unit up with his booming voice. Several of the soldiers complained as they sat up, moaning about the living conditions. Maria had seen worse.

"We've got a simple task you you little ones today. Shouldn't be too difficult." He paused for effect. "We've detected a small detachment of Paxian troops north of here. You're gonna move in and eliminate them before they can pose a threat." Eisenberg noticed a hand go up. "You got a question, son?"

"Yes, sir. Isn't it a bit early to assault Paxian forces directly, sir? We're still recruits..." One man asked.

"And Recruits you will stay if you don't grow some balls and learn to do as you're told!" He paused as the man slinked back. "Besides. There's only a couple dozen of them. It's not like we're askin' you to destroy one'a there bases, or anything. It should be easy. Even for you little birds. Alright! Enough blathering! Get in the shower, clean up, and get ready! Your suits are waiting for you." Maria was the first out of bed. She popped her neck four times, then walked into the showers.

The recruit barracks had classic military style shower stalls. Lines of stalls across both walls, and two lines in the middle, with only a half wall separating the stalls. Maria took the first one along the right wall, as always. She took her sleeping shirt and shorts off and hung them on the hook available. Punching the button before her, cold water flowed over her her hair and cascaded down her back.

"Heya." A voice spoke from her right. She looked over the see the purple-haired Lolosian man step into the stall next to her.

"Hi." Maria responded, still trying to wake up. The man turned his shower head on.

"Since we're in the same unit, I think it would be best to get to know each other better." The man muttered as the other recruits began slithering into the showers. Maria grinned.

"Sorry. I prefer girls." She muttered simply.

"What? Oh, no no. Not like that." He put his hand over the low wall. "Kyle Hood. Hometown Lolosia." He smiled. Maria studied the man's face, then took his hand.

"Maria Despair. Hometown Frostvale." The man nodded as her retracted his hand.

"Despair. That's a rather interesting last name. Is it Paxian?" He asked.

"No, it's a family name. My family moved to Frostvale when I was really young."

"Ah. I've only ever heard of one other Despair, I have to say." The man continued, running a bar of soap under his arm.

"Really? Who's that?" Maria replied.

"X-Guardian Maria Despair. Circa 1350 LA. Greatest woman to ever live. Soap?" He flashed the bar of soap. Maria nodded and the man tossed it over the wall.

"I think that's just a happy coincidence. I don't think we're related." Maria continued.

"Na. She never had kids... well... her daughter didn't li-"

"Shampoo?" Maria cut in, trying to stop him. She was glad she was in the shower. The water running over her hair and down her face hid her tears.

"Uh... thanks..." He took it, sensing something wrong. "Did I say something to disturb you?" He asked.

"Huh? No. What gave you that idea?"

"Well... you're voice is kinda... weird. Like you're crying. And... I can sense some uncertainty in you. I'm sorry if I made you sad." He turned back and continued, his mouth never opening after that.

Her shower finished, Maria took the towel from the hook under her clothes, dried her hair, body and eyes, and redressed, going back into the barracks.

"Ah. Popsicle. You ever been in a SynGic suit before?" Eisenberg asked when she entered the door.

"No sir." She replied, trying to push Gale back to the back of her mind.

"Excellent. You're my example. I'm gonna have to give you baby birds a run-down.

-

"ALRIGHT MAGGOTS!" Eisenberg shouted as the other recruits filed in. Maria was suited up in a Training SynGic Suit, her helmet under her arm. "Popsicle here has agreed to help me demonstrate how the T-18 Synthetic Magic Powered Battle Armor Suit functions. Alright, Popsicle! Fire it up!" Maria took the syringe in her hand and put the needle into the receiver in the suit's left wrist, the metallic blue liquid inside filling the suit.

"SynGic system operating at 100." A computerized voice droned within Maria's suit.

"Alright, Popsicle. Just like we rehearsed, go ahead and destroy that board over there." Eisenberg pointed to a target dummy. "The suit operates of simple mental commands from the operator to choose what kind of spell to cast. Popsicle's suit is outfitted with a simple flare and a simple electricle shock spell. Go ahead and blast that board." Maria did as she was told and formed a small flare in her hand, releasing it at the target. The board caught fire and fell over onto the floor, turning slowly into ashes. "Nice shot, Popsicle. Alright, birdies! Suit up, and move out!"

The recruits all took their times getting their suits on. To a newcomer, the suits can be quite bulky and harsh to get into. But after a while, they finally managed to squeeze into their suits. The group filed outside to where several already trained soldiers were standing behind makeshift barriers.

"Sir! We've detected a small unit of Paxian soldiers coming this way! These guys maybe fresh, but we need to hold them off." One called.

"Right! Alright you baby birds, get behind one of those barricades and get ready for some heat!" Eisenberg shouted. All the recruits did as they were told and ducked behind the low barricades. "Here they come! Get ready!" The moment he finished, a cardboard-cut out of a Paxian soldier (A rather poorly drawn one, at that) sprang up before the recruits.

"Cut outs, sir? You had us pissin' out pants over cut outs?" A recruit called. A near-invisible laser beam shot from one of the cut outs and struck the man in the shoulder. "AUGH!" He shouted, electricity arcing across his suit.

"Your suits, as you have noticed, are equipped with tazers, which will give you a shock. The intensity of the shock is determined by what kind of wound you'd sustained. In this case, you'd have no use of your right arm. And thus, you're arm cannot be used." The man tried to use his right arm. But it just hung there.

"Damnit!" The man swore, ducking behind one of the barricades.

"Here!" Another recruit pulled his pistol out and tossed it to the disabled recruit. The two switched weapons, allowing the disabled one the use of a one-handed weapon. Maria crouched on one knee and readied her weapon. Tapping the gas canister on the weapon's side, getting the air out, Maria set her sights on the first and closest cutouts.

"Dance, cardboard dudes!" One of the recruits shouted, cutting loose with a very poorly-placed stream of bullets.

"It's not about volume..." Maria muttered to herself. "It's about precision." The moment she finished, the squeezed the trigger, a single shot ringing out, tearing into two of the targets. Maria quickly switched targets and took out three more with a well-placed shot.

"Jezus..." Eisenberg muttered. "Colinson! Come 'ere!" He shouted. Another one of the instructors came up.

"Yes, Richard?"

"Check her out! Watch the cut outs." The two watched as Maria fired again, scoring what would be a headshot through three more cutouts. She continued to go about, working the trajectory of the bullet so it always hit more then one target. The man named Colinson stared with disbelief. He had never seen someone be so lethally accurate in his life. Maria finally finished with the targets, turning them all into cardboard confetti.

"Cease fire! Hold your fire!" Eisenberg shouted. "If this was a real battle, all of you would be DEAD! Except POPSICLE and the QUEER! Can anyone tell me why they'd be the only survivors?"

"Becuase, sir. We're all firing like we're blind, and not hitting anything." Kyle replied. Eisenberg nodded.

"Exactly! Now can anyone tell me WHY you're firing like you're blind?"

"We're all trying to be cowboys? Sir." Kyle continued.

"EXACTLY! Now, the point of a gun, is to KILL the other man, not to see how many shell casings you can be standing in! That only works in Hollywood! This is no movie! I want your shots counting!" Eisenberg watched a young, regal looking woman limping over to him. He bolted straight up.

"Alright. Get into the barracks. Get out of those suits." He continued, breathless.

"Mr. Eisenberg, please detain the two aforementioned recruits." The woman called, continuing to limp towards him.

"Popsicle! Hood! You're wanted." He walked back into the barracks. The other woman came to a stop and stared at them. She had harsh green eyes, the kind of eyes that pierce you to the core.

"Good afternoon, you two. I've got bad news."

"Ma'am?" Kyle began.

"You've just been bumped up to the Advanced Training list. You'll be training with me now." She smiled.

"Why is that bad news, ma'am?" Maria asked.

"Because Eisenberg's training is a spring breeze compared to mine." He held her hand out. "My name is Gale Stormwind. I'll be your instructor." The two shook her hand and she began limping back to where she came from. "Follow me, if you please."

"Yes, ma'am. Let us get out of these suits..." Kyle and Maria began trying to get the suit off.

"Oh, no. Bring them. You'll need them." She was smiling.

-Advanced Training-

"Okay everyone." Gale spoke as she came in with Maria and Kyle. Unlike Eisenberg, she never raised her voice, she kept it very cool and very low. The other recruits listened to when she spoke. "We have two new additions straight out of Basic and into our loving bosum. I want you to treat them as you treat me." She turned to Maria and Kyle. "Sound off you two."

"Private First Class Kyle Hood, hometown Lolosia!" He saluted to everyone.

"Private Second Class Maria Despair. Hometown Frostvale." She, too, saluted. Gale paused for a second.

"Well then. Kyle, Maria, take a bunk." She limped around the room. The two took bunks and greeted their bunkmates.. who happened to be each other. "Training starts once more at twelve hundred this afternoon. Get some rest. You'll need it." She limped out of the room.

"Hey, guys." One of the other recruits leaned down. "Go ahead and get out of those suits. They offer great protection, but little comfort." The two did so, and folded their armors at the foot of the bunk.

"So... what's with the leg?" Kyle asked to the other man.

"What the limpy limp?" Kyle nodded. "Ah, that's just an old war wound. Paxian Shellhound took out her left leg. Left her lame. But science is wonderful. Her entire left leg is mechanical."

"Nice..." Maria muttered.

"Yea, just exnay on the chanical-ma g-le" A second recruit smiled.

-Would You Like to Learn More?-

"POPSICLE! Stop daydreamin'!" A voice called from beside Maria. She shook her head as she realized where she was. She looked around, her eyes finally coming to rest on the helmeted face of the Paxian man.

"What?" Maria asked, gripping her chaingun. The man shook his head.

"Maria, you have got to stop spacing out like that. You're gonna do that in a mission, and you'll get yourself and others killed."

"Okay, everyone." Commander Stormwind stood, dressed in bright blue SynGic armor, contrasting the red of a normal soldier. In the powered armor suit, Gale's limp was non-existent, even though everyone knew it was there. "We'll be setting down on Paxia's south beach in ten minutes. Remember your jobs. Standard phalanx positions. Heavy Weapons people up front, riflemen behind them, medics and support units in rear."

"What are we doing again? It slipped my mind..." Maria muttered to Kyle, who growled loudly before responding.

"We're attacking Paxia, the homeland of the Paxians. Ugh... why do I have a bad feeling about this..."

"That your Rogue Insight kicking in again, Kyle?" Maria teased slightly. He nodded. Even though, behind her helmet, she was smiling... something that Kyle said rang true...

"Touchdown in seven minutes! Fire everything up." The seats everyone was sitting on slid forward, allowing the Heavy Weapons people access to their ammo storage rack on their back. Maria grabbed the feeding rack from her back and stretched it to the loading nozzel on the chaingun in her hands. This was her first mission, and everything wreaked of imminent doom. Even though it appeared as though she was the only one who felt it, she could feel tension in the air of the landing craft. The ship jerked in the air, tugged by wind resistance and drag.

Echoing through the interior of the dropship came the unanimous sounds of the SynGic system coming on-line. Maria kept hers dormant. There was advantages to being the last being on Lore with any form of magical connections. Again, the ship shook, but this time, more violently. Commander Stormwind struggled up to the communication array with the pilot.

"What's going on up there?" She asked.

"We're takin' flak, nothing serious."

"Ah, shit..." One of the recruits droned. "Maybe we should turn back..."

"No!" Maria replied. "We're over the target now!"

"How do you know that?" The recruit continued.

"If you're takin' flak, you're over the target." Maria replied simply.

"Keep your heading. Do try to avoid hitting more flak then is nessecary, would you?" Gale shut the comm link off. "We'll be landing shortly, I suppose..." Maria charged a baby Giga Flare in her hand, just to see if she still had that knack. The flare expanded, flashed colors and hissed. Kyle looked in awe at the little miniature sun. Before he said anything, Maria closed her hand and the flare died.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" Maria replied, pleading ignorance.

"N-nothing. Not enough sleep." Maria smiled at the man's reply and slid a black lockbox from under her seat.

"Rise and shine, beautiful. It's game time." She cooed to the box, clicking the locks open. She set the black case on her lap and opened the lid slowly. Resting in an unnatural slumber is a shining sword sheathed in a sheath forged of solid nightmares. You catch Kyle staring in awe at it. "Beautiful, isn't it? Last of it's kind. The others were hunted down and destroyed by the Devourer's minions some twelve hundred years ago. They were preparing for a second invasion. Which, I think you may know, never happened."

"I... I want to touch it..." Kyle muttered.

"Go ahead." Maria shifted the case over as Kyle grabbed the hilt. He slid the blade out and ran a finger down the edge.

"Gone are the days where swords were in style, Mrs. Despair. Please put it away." Gale spoke cooly. She wasn't angry, but more... sad. Her voice betrayed sadness.

"Yes, ma'am." She took the sword out and attached it to the secondary weapon slot on her suit. The holster had some rather modern additions, but on the whole, it was unchanced.

"Maria. Come on. A sword? They'd kill you before you got close enough to use it! Besides, if it's as old as you say, it would probably shatter in one hit."

"Good points around, Kyle, but you forget two things. First, a well-kept sword will never break. And two... swords don't use ammo." She smirked. The ship jerked one last time, this time, the shaking was permiated by a loud, booming alarm.

"Commander! Hold on! We've been hit! We're going down!" The pilot called over the intercom. Commander Stormwind sat in the nearest seat.

"Everyone. Buckle in. It's going to be rough." Even in a time of udder chaos, she manages to keep her voice flat, almost emotionless. It's creepy. She snapped her emergency seat belt into place and grabbed the handles on the bottom of the seat. Everyone copied.

"Impact in three! Two! One!" The pilot called before there was a loud explosion and the sudden loss of power.


	4. Ancient Approval

Author's Note: This story is going to jump around a LOT, so try to keep up.

Ancient Approval

Three

Maria stepped through the door to the Museum of Lore History. The building was constructed very much like the Guardian Tower which Maria had so many fond memories of. She ran a hand down the cool stone brick, even though she knew it was nothing more then a form, and that the structure was reinforced by steel bars and steel mesh underneath. They had gotten everything perfect, the walls, the windows, and even the doors. She smiled in approval.

"Ah, I take it by your smiles, you ladies are pleased with the exhibit?" The Museum Curator smiled. Maria and Safiria nodded. "As are your students, I see." He continued. Maria watched the line of students from Battleon High behind her. She nodded, turning back to the curator. "Are they're any questions I can answer for you this afternoon?"

"Yes, actually." Maria spoke. She looked very different then from what she liked. Using a straightening iron, she took the slight wavy look out of her hair, allowing it to fall limp around her shoulders. With cosmetic contact lenses, she changed her eyes to a soft blue, eliminating the harsh, piercing red. "I had heard that you have found a registry of all the soldiers who resided within this tower..."

"Ah, yes. The ledger! It's on of our most popular exhibits! Follow me, if you would."

"Sarah." Maria spoke to Safiria. "If you would mind seeing that the children don't break anything, please."

"Of course." Safiria responded. Her, like Maria, had changed her outward appearance with the aid of cosmetic contact lenses, a pair of scissors, a bottle of blond hair dye, and a goth-punk-vampire look in her clothes. They were disguised as such, because if there was one thing they learned from surviving for 1500 years, it's that the fewer people who knew they were 1500 years old, the better. Safiria showed the kids around the museum, keeping a careful, close eye on the group of children who resembled Maria and her the most.

"Follow me, if you would." The Curator showed Maria to the ledger. It was a large, leather bound book with weathered, water-logged parchement pages. The names, however damaged and near-destroyed the book was, the names were still perfectly legible. Maria looked at the book, at the names contained, at it brought back so many memories.

"Serras Nerra..." She read off one of the names, a surge of pain arching up her spine. "Angela Wolf..." She continued, remember that poker night she had with Natalya, Serras and Wolfblitzer. "Maria Despair..." She ran off. It was creepy looking at her own name like that. If the book was not behind a thick layer of plexi-glass, she would have loved to feel the pages between her fingers... she still remembered the day Captain Krieger got that book...

Looking at the book again, she was dates scribbled in the margins next to the names.

"What's this?" Maria asked, not remembering the dates.

"We're... not sure. We found the book just like this. But... everything was smeared... we managed to restore it as best as possible, but those dates still confound us..." Maria looked to the gold plaque on the wall next to it. Engraved there were the names of all the Guardians, in alphabetical order, from John Aarant, to Angela Wolf. There was a line gap between two of the names.

"And this?" Maria continued.

"One of the names was too badly smeared to be restored, so we've been trying to get an expert in to translate it." Maria, looking at where the gap was, strained her brain to find the right name. She felt her heart wrench as she remembered. Her horrible death. The hurt. The pain. The slaughter.

"Rayne Anasi." Maria spoke simply, standing straight. The museum Curator stared in disbelief at her.

"How did you-"

"I make my living remembering the names of the past, Mr. Curator. I have memorized every name on this list, and so many more. I felt like if I could help you here, more people would have respect for those who came before them." Maria spoke, smiling at him. The curator returned her smile, however unnerved he was.

"Rayne!" Safiria barked to her class. "Stop poking Maria! Maria, take Rayne out of that head lock!" She continued, at about the time adult-Maria strode up. "Oh, Mia. There you are. I can't get Rayne and Maria to leave one another alone... being a teacher is hard..." She muttered.

"I got this." Maria told her, advancing on her younger self giving a younger Rayne a very aggressive noogie. "Girls, girls, can I speak to you for a moment?" She separated them and wrapped an arm around each one. They both stopped to listen. "Let me tell you a little life story, alright?" They nodded. "I had a friend, oh so long ago. Her and I were always together. She'd poke me, I'd put her in a head lock, much like you two. But... I stopped doing that real fast. Do you know why?" They shook their heads. "It's because she died when I was young. Do you know how?" They were too shocked to answer. Maria answered without them. "She died in a freak accident that I could have saved her from. She asked me to lunch that day, and I had other things. If I hadn't been so busy, too busy for my friends, she'd be alive today. The lesson in this is, even though you're friends, and judging by the smiles you had on your faces, despite the poking and the noogies, I'd say you're real good friends. The point I'm making is, there are other ways to show your friendship then poking and noogies. Try talking, and making time for one another." They both regained control and nodded. "Okay. Right, I'm done." She took them out of the arm-wrap and backed up. The two hugged one another, and never poked or put the other in a head lock again.

"Wow. What did you do, Mia?" Safiria asked.

"I just told them a little story. About Rayne and I." Maria muttered. "I still feel guilty about that day..."

"Don't. There was nothing that could have been done. If anyone's to blame, it's Krieger. He had you running that errand, remember?"

"Yea..."

"Besides. It's not like it could have been helped. All you can do is SUCK IT UP AND STAND, SOLDIER!" Her voice changed to that of another man. Maria looked at her funny. The students around her began making a circle.

"What about this one, sir?!" The younger Rayne droned.

"He's dead! Leave him!" The younger Maria replied.

"Sir! I got a live one!" A young Lizzie yelled.

"Great! Get him up and armed!"

"--, you awake?" A slow voice spoke in Maria's ear. "Popsicle! Are you alright?!"


	5. FUBAR

Mission: F.U.B.A.R.

Four

The first thing Maria heard was the burning wreckage of the dropship. The first thing she saw was the blood-crusted and worried face of Kyle Hood.

"Oh, thank god." He droned, helping Maria up. "Commander Stormwind! Maria's alive!" Kyle called. Gale limped towards them.

"Excellent. See to it Maria is properly equipped. We're almost ready to move."

"What the hell happened?" Maria asked Kyle. The Lolosian man smiled grimly.

"We got shot down five clicks from the drop zone. Most of our unit is dead. Only..." He began counting. "Seven of us are alive. You, me, Commander Stormwind, our pilot Mike, our engineer Zana, and Michelle and John, two of the riflemen. That's us." He frowned grimly. "and Commander Stormwind wants us to push on to the mission zone anyways. She wants us to continue the assault despite the losses." Maria frowned.

"You've got to be out of your flippin' gourd!" Maria protested to Gale. "You want us to assault a full Paxian LEGION with only SEVEN people! Three of which aren't even combat fit!"

"Uh... three?"

"Yea. The only people capable of fighting right now is Kyle, Michelle, John and myself."

"I can still hold a rifle, Mrs. Despair." Gale spoke, her monotone voice becoming harsh.

"That's great. Why don't you run over to that rock over there, use it for cover while I shoot at you." Gale went silent.

"I can't run."

"Preciesly. It's great if you can shoot, but what happens if they fire a missile at you? You're smoked." Gale lowered her head. "Listen, you're a great commander, but sometimes, even the best know when to disobey orders. We've got to get out of here. And fast. We've got to call for evac."

"Evac won't come so long as those Flak Launchers are online." Mike spoke. Maria rolled her eyes.

"Great. We're stranded here."

"Not exactly. Permission to propose an escape plan."

"Granted." Gale spoke.

"There's a Paxian Base two clicks away. If we can make it there, we may be able to steal one of their dropships and get the hell off this rock."

"A base?!" Zana blurted out. "Excuse me for being flippant, Kyle, but that's friggin' crazy! We'd never survive a base assault!"

"Ah. But one moment." Kyle continued, bending down the make a diagram in the dirt. "Okay, here's us. This X is the crash site. This O is the Paxian's Base. These other little X's are our troops in the other divisions. These other little O's are the Paxian troops. As our troops move in to assault the facility, we sneak in around the back, hijack one of their dropships and make the most awesome strafing run on the Paxian troops is the history of armed combat."

"That has got to be the stupidest, idiotic, and suicidal thing I've ever heard, Kyle." Maria spoke. "But it may just work. Who's in?"

"I'll go. You may need some doors open." Zana spoke, taping a plasma torch on her hip.

"Hum. Stay here and die, go there and live. Maybe. I'll go." Mike echoed.

"I'm going to regret this." Gale answered.

"Right. How long until the assault begins?" Gale looked at her watch.

"About five hours." She responded.

"Plenty of time, basically." Maria echoed. "If we're gonna make it, though, we should probably move. The sun won't last long at this rate..." She looked at the dying light of the sun as it fell beneath the horizon. Kyle only nodded.

-

To the untrained eye, the seven figures moving in the dark were invisible. They traveled light, carrying only their weapons and some food and water.

"This is Sigma Division, we're at the jump-off point, but there's still no sign of Delta Division." Maria's radio crackled to life. She looked at it with amazement.

"They're ready to go, it looks like... You think us not being there will throw things to the Paxians?" Michelle asked, a slight worry to her voice. Maria shook her head.

"I can't say..."

-

The group finished their trek and finally arrived at their destination; the towering, twenty-story high Paxian base structure. Kyle whistled.

"Damn... it's bigger in real life..."

"Shit usually is." John echoed. Without another word, the group crept silently along in the night towards the installation. The building towered well over them, and the seven people could only pray in hushed voices Kyle's theory was right.

Entering the building was the easy part. Maria and Kyle formed up in a line, weapons at a safe, yet ready position, by the door, everyone else behind them. Kyle grabbed the door handle and jiggled it slightly, the door swinging freely open. He peeked inside, seeing only a desk clerk and three guards in the room. He held up four fingers to Maria, who nodded. "One to the left, and three to the right" he told her with hand signals. She nodded and relayed the info to John, who was behind her. Kyle pulled a small canister from his vest and pulled the pin from the lever, tossing the canister into the building.

"_Kasa va d-_" One of the Paxian's spoke as a loud bang acompanied by a blindingly bright light cut them off.

"Go! Go! Go!" Kyle called, charging in after the Flashbang took effect. Kyle's first target was the three guards while Maria focused on the clerk.

"Where's the dropships?" She asked the clerk.

"_Kayata za nak!_" He responded, rubbing fruitlessly at his eyes, still under the effects.

"_Yatak norrok torak Dropship_?!" She asked more forcefully in an alien tongue.

"_Kara myuke! Essah vanah!_" The clerk responded as his vision began to clear. Maria slammed his head into the desk and rejoined Kyle.

"He said the dropships are on the fifth floor, east side. There's only one left. And it's our ride out." She smiled. Kyle picked up one of the Paxian's weapons and tossed it to Gale.

"Here you go. May come in handy." Out of all the ammo they had salvaged from the dropship, only about sixty rounds were usable, so the most combat-fit soldiers got first-dibs on the ammo. Maria sat at the clerk's console after brushing his unconcious form away. She typed a few things into the computer and scanned the screen. Standing, she spoke.

"Well, Kyle. I've got good news, and bad news."

"Okay. What's the bad news?"

"We'll have to go through the soldier's barracks to get to the docking bays."

"That's not good... what's the good news?"

"The good news is, there's only a skeleton crew on duty. Only fifty-nine. The rest are either asleep, or fighting." Kyle sighed a mix of relief and disappointment. He had hoped that no more then twenty people would be on duty, but he guessed you can't be completely right all the time..." He looked at the console, which was written in a foreign language. "Popsicle, how the hell can you read that?"

"I took a course on the Paxian and Drakel languages. Looks like it payed off, today." She smiled. "I think I may be able to create a distraction, but I'll need you guys to be perfectly quiet, alright?" Kyle nodded. Maria smiled, returned the nod and cleared her throat. Speaking in a slight hiss and a roll to her words, she spoke into the intercom. "_Myrat isssha va. Myrat isssha va. Retokna veggit mostap shokc noripshop dor. Istahn: Retokna veggit mostap shokc norisphop dor. Eeshba._" She turned the intercom off and leaned back, sighing.

"What did you tell them?" Kyle asked as Maria shut the console down. Saying nothing, Maria rejoined the others.

"I think I managed to clear a majority of the way to the docking bays, but getting out is going to be slightly trickier."

"Why do you say that?" Gale questioned, checking the weapon she received for ammo.

"Because. I told them we'll be running a drill, and that all combat-able troops should be in the docking bay in five minutes."

"Okay, tell me again, Mrs. Despair, what part of that will make out escape easier?" Maria smiled and hiked her weapon onto her shoulder.

"That way we can take them all out at once."

"Maria, I like you. You're hot, good at what you do, but when you say shit like that, you just get like... plain damn crazy. There's no way we'd survive against fifty-some Paxian troops." Kyle never raised his voice. Maria walked towards the elevator and pushed the button, summoning the lift to her floor. As the light lit, she leveled the weapon, the door sliding with a hiss open. She fired twice, two bodies dropping to the floor.

"Come on. Let's move." She beckoned the others to follow her. Reluctantly the others fell in line. Kyle rolled his eyes. She'll never listen...

-Dropship Bay Two-

"Well, Maria. There they are. All fifty-some Paxians waiting in the Dropship Bay for more orders. What the hell do we do now, O One of Ingenious Ideas?" Maria silenced Kyle by thrusting her gun into his arms.

"Hold this." she spoke, unzipping her under armor. She stripped down to nothing more then a sports bra and a pair of cut-off shorts. "And these." She put the Under Armor into his arms too.

"What the hell are you doing?!" John asked, looking aghast.

"Watch; and learn boys." She walked into the docking bay where the Soldiers leveled their weapons. "_Kata!_" Maria barked, holding up one finger. "_Mat ene yakat peh Joke?_" She asked in Drakel. The guards relaxed and nodded her on. Maria smiled and held up one finger, and put the other next to it. "_Se ka?_" She asked. The guards nodded. She brought her two fingers away, and knocked them together. At the impact, she retraced her left finger, and put up a second finger on her right hand. "_Seh? Seh?_" She asked to the appauled guards, who clapped.

"She's doing... magic tricks?" Kyle asked, looking horrified. "She's gonna get herself killed."

"_Sah ka! Sah ka!_" She shouted, quieting the crowd. She opened her hand out to them. "_Kya fah? Kya feh?_" She rubbed her palms together. The guards nodded. She pulled her hand apart, calling '_vala!_' and a bouquet of Paxian Wildflowers appeared. She caught them and tossed them out the door, where Gale caught them.

"Oh mah god..." Zana muttered, watching.

"_Sah ka! Sah ka! Sah ka!_" The guards chanted.

"_Ta... ne sah ka..._" Maria replied, looking embarrassed.

"_Sah ka! Gettte sah ka!_" The continued.

"_Keh. Sah ka._" Maria replied. She rubbed her hands down her thighs while undulating her hips around.

"Tell me when the tear her apart..." Kyle droned, looking away. She continued to dance in place singing in Paxian.

"_Gyeta ve juta... kyato be nayehg..._" Kyle watched appalled, his eyes fixed on her rear.

"Damn... she's hot..." He muttered.

"Chain Lightning." She mixed into her song, flinging her fingers out, a beam of pure electricity striking one of the guards, killing him, and arching to the next. Within two seconds, all the guards were a smoking pile on the ground.

"HOLY SHIT!" Everyone called in unison. Maria blew the smoke from her fingers and walked to the others.

"Coast's clear, by the way. You can stop staring at my ass now, Kyle."

"Uhhh..." He shook his head. "Yea. Here." he gave her her clothes back and she got dressed. The others entered the docking bay and scrambled to the dropship. "By the way, what did you do?"

"What do you mean?" Maria asked as she tried to open the door of the dropship. She cracked the door open and motioned everyone in.

"That lightning formula. What formula was it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Kyle. I did nothing." The grabbed his head, tilted it back and looked into his eyes. "You're pupils are dilated. I think you've got a bit of a concussion. I did nothing." She released him, smiled and got on the ship. "Alright, Mike. Get us the hell out of here, and give those Paxian bastards a run for their god-damn money." Mike looked over the controls, a dumbstruck look on his face. "You can fly this, right?"

"Uh... theoretically." He replied. Maria rolled her eyes and pushed him out of the seat. "Hey!" Maria punched the combination to take off, listening to the engines hum to life.

"Zana! Shut that door!" She barked back. The technician nodded and entered the door controls. As the door rose up, so did the ship.

"Weapon pods open." Maria spoke as two large missile racks folded out of the top of the ship, forming wings. Two additional missile racks folded out of the tail, becoming a balancing fin.

"God, these things are damn warships!"

"Stardard protocol, Kyle." Maria muttered. "Clear the landing zone with a concentrated missile barrage, then land the troops. Where are the chainguns on this thing?" She scanned the panel. "Ah. There you are." She pushed the button and two chainguns dropped out of the bottom. "Mike, grab that chaingun and open us a door."

"On it." He jumped onto the gun controls and began firing at the door. The thin, metallic door was torn to shreds in mear seconds as the high-velocity rounds punctured it. "I can't blow a big enough hole." He complained.

"If I'm correct..." She flipped a switch on the console.

"_Teke gor._" A computer droned.

"Chain fire..." Maria muttered. She flipped the switch again.

"_Neze gor._" It droned again.

"Single fire..." She smiled. She gripped the stick and fired one of the tail rack missiles. Unexpectedly, the entire rack emptied. "Oopsie doodles. My bad. That was GROUP fire. So THIS..." She flicked the switch to 'Teke gor' and smiled. "Must be single fire." Punching the throttel, she rocketed out through the newly-created hole, coming around the front.

"This is Sigma Division to base! We are under heavy fire! The Paxians have some strange crawler that has a spear on the top! It's decimating our ranks! Request permission to fall back!" A voice came over Maria's radio. As the dropship came around the back of the base to see the assault, the voice changed. "Oh, shit! Dropship! They've got their racks open! Everyone! Get down!"

"Wanna see Sigma Division shit their pants?" Maria smiled, turning the dropship to face them. She kepted it poised there as she flicked the grouping switch again.

"_Zeke gor._" The computer droned.

"Chain Fire, mother-" As she spoke, she switched targets to the Paxian ranks and unloaded all the missiles into the ranks and ranks of reptillian soldiers. Body parts and scraps of metal were hurled yards into the air, only to come crashing down. She continued to rotate the ship to get as much splash damage as she could onto the units.

"I don't believe it... that dropship just fired on it's own people!" Sigma Division leader called.

"Hey, Sigma Division!" Maria called into her radio. "Need a lift? This is Maria Despair of Delta Division. We're coming to pick you guys up and get the hell off this rock. How many of you are left?"

"Sixteen. The Paxians did a number on us in the first few minutes of the assault. What's left of us are tired, and weak. I'm gonna put a commendation into central command for whoever the hell thought up this hair-brained idea of yours, Delta Division. It payed off. How many of your division are left?"

"Just us seven. Our dropship was shot down by enemy fire five clicks from here, and we just... walked." Maria manuvered the dropship into a landing position amongst the shredded bodies of the Paxians, and opened the hatch. The large belly of the Paxian ship had no problem holding all twenty three occupants.

-Babylon Air Force Base-

"Sir!" A man called from a radar screen. "Sir! I've got a lone Paxian dropship makin' a hot run at strip nineteen. Airfoils up, afterburners on. It's gonna plow right into strip nineteen!"

"Track it. I don't want it twitching from turbulence and not know it! Get a crew on the ground and get ready to receive whatever comes out of it."

"Sir... they're transmitting a docking code... Six... nine... Alpha... Charlie... Lambda... Sir! It's Delta Division!"

"By the gods... they survived..." He mused. "Give them whatever medical and emotional support they need! Have fire crews standing by! Get a team down there NOW!"

-

It was a relatively peaceful sleep. No room mate to bother him. How could the night get any better?

The alarm. That's how.

"Marine Team Delta! You are needed on Landing Strip Nineteen ASAP!" The intercom boomed.

"Oh, son of a Drakel..." He muttered. It was an old phrase, possibly older then Lore itself. No one really knew what a Drakel was... but it was a fun phrase. Standing, he went to his locker and suited into his armor and grabbed his gun, scrambling out with the others.

"What's the situation?" He asked to his friend.

"Paxian Dropship detected on scanners five minutes ago. Transmitted authorization codes, but command wants to be sure.

"Anasi!" A voice called behind him. He turned around, facing his commander.

"Sir!?" He questioned.

"You're point."

"Again? Shit..."

-Xenolord's Paxian Primer!-

No you, too, can learn Paxian!

"_Kasa va d-_" Translated to Common means something along the lines of "What the f-" Obviously, the speaker was cut off.

"_Kayata za nak!_" Translated to common means something like "I can't see!"

"_Yatak norrok torak Dropship_?!"Translated means "Where are the dropships?"

"_Kara myuke! Essah vanah!_" means "Fifth Floor! East side!"

"_Myrat isssha va. Myrat isssha va. Retokna veggit mostap shokc noripshop dor. Istahn: Retokna veggit mostap shokc norisphop dor. Eeshba._" means "Attention all troops. Attention all troops. Emergency assembly required in docking bay three. Repeat: Emergency assembly required in docking bay three. That is all."

"_Kata! Mat ene yakat peh Joke?_" means "Wait! Anyone wanna see a trick?"

"_Se ka?_" means "See this?"

"_Seh? Seh?_" means "Eh? Eh?" as in the sense of: "Anyone see me do that trick!? That was awesome, right? Eh? Eh?"

"_Sah ka! Sah ka!_" means "One more! One more!"

"_Kya fah? Kya feh?_" means "Nothing here? Nothing there?"

'_vala!_' means "Viola!"

"_Sah ka! Sah ka! Sah ka!_" means "One more! One more! One more!" as chanted by the guards.

"_Ta... ne sah ka..._" means "No... no more..."

"_Sah ka! Gettte sah ka!_" means "One more! Come on, one more!"

"_Keh. Sah ka._" means "Okay. One more."

"_Gyeta ve juta... kyato be nayehg..._" means "Bubbles and water... Legs up for hours" in reference to the Alizee song "J'en Ai Marre" or, "I'm Fed Up".

"_Teke gor._" means, contrary to Maria's innitial translation "Single Fire."

"_Neze gor._" means, contrary to maria's innitial translation "Group Fire."

"_Zeke gor._" means "Chain Fire."

More Paxian Primers as Chapters Warrent.


	6. Out of Many, One

Author's Note: For those out there who have not passed their "Paxian For Dummies" course, this chapter of "As Time Goes By" has been run through the ole' Translator, translating it to Common from Paxian. All Common will appear as Paxian.

Out of Many, One

Five

"_How goes the situation to the south, commander Zookta?_" The Paxian Theater commander questioned the shivering form beside him. The Paxian man to his left swallowed hard and handed him an envelope.

"_Sir... Staging Base Iota has been destroyed..._" He trembled as the Theater Commander took it and opened it. "_It seems that while the main defense force was distracted by what we thought to be the main Human strike force, a small team of seven Humans snuck in around the back and... eliminated the entire base..._" He spoke. The Commander stared at the report in the envelope. He sighed deeply and defeatedly, turning back to the man.

"_These Humans... crafty, intelligent bastards..._" he growled, looking at his console. "_Tell me exactly what happened, Commander Zookta._" He spoke. Zookta seemed to calm down, his shaking stopping.

"_The details are sketchy, sir, but here's what we do know. At oh nine hundred hours, we detected a wave of Human Drop Ships on an invasion course. Most of them landed, a few were shot down, but of the ones who landed, six companies of Humans stormed Staging Base Iota, Gamma, Kappa, Sigma, Zeta and Tau at thirteen hundred hours. Staging Base Gamma, Kappa, and Zeta fell within the first hour of the assault. Staging Base Sigma, Gamma and Tau held out, eventually falling, but not after devastating most of the Humans. Staging Base Iota was completely annihilated, the small Human task force I mentioned, escaping in on of our Drop Ships. The Human task force entered the base at fifteen twenty one hours, and was gone at fifteen twenty six hours._"

"_In and out in five minutes... Such efficiency..._" Theater Commander Myk sighed and looked over the report again. The time line was too efficient to be an accident or mistake. Whomever planned this assault had every single little detail mapped to the nth degree.

"_Sir... we did manage to salvage a bit of security camera footage from the base. It's from Docking Bay Two._" Zookta held out a small disc to his commander. The Theater Commander took it and put it in the player. "_I think this would prove most... complicating._" Bringing up the footage, he waited. Presented before him was the image of the docking bay with a garrison of Paxian troopers standing, watching a young Human woman pulling a bouquet of flowers from apparently thin air, tossing it behind her.

"_What am I looking here, Zookta? Smoke and mirrors?_" He asked.

"_Just watch, sir._" Zookta pointed. The Human woman began rubbing her thighs, dancing in place. The Theater Commander stared intently at the image, waiting for something to happen. As abruptly as she began dancing, a stream of pure energy flooded from her open hand, striking a guard and jumping to the next, killing the entire garrison.

"_Holy shit!_" he shouted, drawing back. "_Commander Zookta, what the hell did I just see?_"

"_I'm not entirely sure, sir..._" Zookta droned, punching some numbers on his console. "_But look at the volt meter and amp meter when the bolt hits. I'll slow it down some for you._" Zookta slowed the footage down as a numerical representation of volts and amps appeared in the corner. The moment the bolt hit the first target, the volt meter read five hundred, and the amp meter read one hundred. When the bolt jumped to the second guard, the volt and amp meters doubled. With each arc of the bolt, the voltage and amperage doubled.

"_What SynGic formula is that?!_" The Commander asked. Zookta shook his head.

"_Humans can't use SynGic as efficiently as we can, sir. Their system shuts down if it comes in contact with the SynGic formulas. They use a suit to regulate and manipulate it. This Human, as you see, is unarmored._" He pushed another button. "_One more time, sir._" He replayed the video from the beginning, replacing the Volt and Amp Meters with an Arcana Meter.

"_Arcana, Zookta? Be reasonable. Arcane Magic is gone._" Zookta stopped him.

"_That's what I thought, sir. But watch._" The Theater Commander watched the Arcana Meter, and the moment the bolt left the girl's hand, the meter registered.

"_Quad nine?!_" He gasped, looking at the display reading '9999'.

"_No, sir. That's just as high as the meter goes. The Arcana Sensors in the docking bay... exploded when the bolt left her hand. They were overloaded._"

"_If what you're saying is true, Zookta, we're looking at a being here that's decades old... no... centuries old.. possibly even more..._" He droned.

"_That's what R and D thinks... they want her captured for study..._" The Theater Commander stared at Zookta.

"_Listen to me, and listen good, Zookta. I want you... YOU, to find this girl, WHOEVER she is. No matter WHERE she is, I want her found. And when she's found, I want you to slit her throat and watch her bleed to death. No capture, no research, no mercy, no pleas. Go Mourner on her ass. Slit her damn throat, and bring me her head!_" The Theater Commander was starting to seethe. Zookta nodded.

"_Yes sir. You want her head. I'll do it, sir._"

"_Good. Good man. Get to it._"


	7. Friends First

Author's Note: This chapter of "As Time Goes By" has been translated into Paxian for the benefit of the Paxian readers.

Friends First

Six

Maria and the other surviving members of Delta Division stood at attention before Supreme Commander Krieger as he presented the awards of heroism.

"For quick thinking in a time of stress, The Babylonian Defense Militia awards Kyle Hood the Star of Lore, a sign of wit and, more importantly, outwitting the enemy." He smiled, pinning the medal to Kyle's chest. He saluted and smiled as Krieger moved to Maria. "For creative use of all available assests in a time of chaos, and downing fifty-three Paxian Guards in a single moment, despite the fact we still do not know how it was done, The Babylonian Defense Militia awards Maria Despair the Dragonspine Cross, and the Star of Lore." Maria waited as Krieger pinned the medal on before saluting. He continued down.

"For resilience and defiance in the face of overwhelming hostility, the Babylonian Defense Militia awards Technician Zana Myrad the Star of Lore." He pinned the medal, Zana smiled and saluted, and he moved on. "For resilience and defiance in the face of overwhelming hostility, the Babylonian Defense Militia awards Pilot Micheal Sorren the Star of Lore, and for sustaining an injury in the field of battle, and still completing his assigned objectives, the Babylonian Defense Militia awards Micheal with a Purple Heart." Pinned, salute, smile. "For resilience and defiance in the face of overwhelming hostility, the Babylonian Defense Militia awards Riflemen John and Michelle Hyde the Star of Lore." Lather, rinse, repeat. "And finally, for calculated rejection of orders and for successfully seeing her team to safety, the Babylonian Defense Militia presents Commander Gale Stormwind with the Dwarfhold Cross, and the Dragonspine Cross, as well as a Purple Heart for sustaining an injury, and still completing assigned objectives." As he pinned the medal, he took a step back, addressing the recipients now. "Ladies and Gentlemen. These recognitions mean you went above and beyond the call of duty. However, next time you all receive recognitions, we may be doing them during your funeral. Lore needs heroes. But we need alive heroes." There came a thundering applause from the crowd as the group turned and exited, feeling important.

"Mrs. Despair, I would like to see you in my office at your earliest convience." Commander Stormwind muttered as they exited.

"I'll be right down, Commander." Maria responded. Supreme Commander Krieger had given the seven some time off, and everyone would enjoy it.

-Half an Hour Later.-

Maria walked to the door of Commander Stormwind and knocked.

"Come in, Mrs. Despair. Be quick about it." Maria opened the door and slipped in. "Have a seat." Commander Stormwind wasn't look at Maria, but at a report on her desk she was writing. Her free hand was pointed to the chair before her. Maria complied and sat.

The two sat in silence for several seconds before Gale spoke.,

"Mrs. Despair, do you know why I called you here?" Maria shook her head. Gale looked up from the report and smiled. It wasn't a caring smile, but a cruel, sadistic one. "I called you here, Maria, because there is one loose end which must be tied before I can complete my report. And that is... how exactly you obliterated fifty three Paxian Guards over the course of... two point nine eight seconds." She crossed her arms and stared at Maria. "Before you start, Mrs. Despair, know that, while my body may be slow, I may not be able to keep up with you speed wise, my mind is so sharp, it will not only keep up with your train of thought, but it will hijack the bloody thing. I am no fool a simple 'I did nothing' will work on."

"But I didn't do anything. It was a freak accident. I swear." Maria presisted. Gale sighed.

"You mean to tell me... a bolt of super-charged electricity just... formed in a random point in space, which, by the way, just happened to be right before your hand, at which point it raced for the nearest guard, struck him dead where he stood, then jumped to the consecutive fifty two other guards, striking each one dead in turn? Is this what you're telling me, Maria?" Maria thought for a second.

"Pretty much, yea." She replied.

"I don't believe that for a Creator-Damned second, Maria. That is the biggest pile of shit I've ever seen. If you're going to lie though your teeth, Maria, at least lie... though you teeth."

"I'm not lying. That's what happened." Maria continued.

"Mrs. Despair. If my mother were alive today, she would have killed you for being so damn stupid."

"Well. I guess I'm lucky." Gale sighed, defeated for now. She folded her arms and stared at Maria.

"Do you want to know a story, Mrs. Despair? It's about lies and betrayal. You'll like it." Her voice was harsh, very unlike the Gale Stormwind she knew. Maria nodded. "There was once a mother and her daughter. They were close, VERY close. The daughter's mother was in the military, and her daughter wanted so much to follow in her footsteps. And so, on her eighteenth birthday, the girl did, joining the military herself. She spent two years in training, and, when she was twenty, she was finally inducted into the Militia. She desperately waited for her first mission. And when it came, she would never forget it.

"There, on her first mission, a group of Paxians found the girl, and tore her apart. APART, Maria, APART. Quite literally apart. They tore her leg and arms from her body, leaving her in the forest to die alone. Do you know what happened to that little, innocent girl?" Maria said nothing. "She was alive. But just. Another group of Paxians found the girls' body and took her back to their base, stemmed the bleeding, and managed to stabilize her condition. They replaced the pieces missing with machines. But there was one thing they couldn't fix. Do you know what that was, Maria?" Gale didn't wait for her to answer. "Her heart. Her heart was shattered, and her innocence was gone forever. She came into that base a shattered girl, and she left a shattered killing machine. Do you know the name of that little girl, Maria?"

"Gale Stormwind?"

"Yes! Me! I was the one who had that horrible fate befall her!"

"What happened to the girl's mother?" Maria continued. Gale stopped. She clearly had no idea how the mother's story ended. "I..." She muttered at first. "I don't know." She answered quickly, turning away. "The only thing I do know is that the daughter never got a chance to say what she wanted to her mother."

"And that was?" Maria asked. Gale stood ridged, staring at Maria.

"Dismissed." She droned.

"'Dismissed'?" Maria questioned.

"You are dismissed, Mrs. Despair." Gale continued, turning her back to Maria.

"You didn't answer my question, Commander." Maria continued. With an almost unlorely rage, Gale spun around, spraying tears across her desk. Her face was bright red, tears flowing for what seemed like the first time in her life.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY OFFICE!" She shouted, grabbing a letter opener and throwing it at Maria, whom simply side stepped it.

"Yes, Commander." Maria replied, turning to go.

"I love you." Gale muttered as Maria took the handle.

"Sorry?" Maria asked, never turning around.

"I never got to say that I loved her." She replied, sniffing. "I don't remember her face... I don't remember her voice... I don't even remember her CREATOR-DAMNED NAME!" She grabbed the chair from the the floor and smashed it over her desk, breaking both. She slumped to her rear, gripping her knees crying like a little girl. Maria turned the handle, opened the door and left.

-Would you Like to Know more?-

Maria stood in formation next to Kyle, standing at attention as their commanding officer looked them over. Gale had finished crying, even if it took her three hours to stop.

"Alright, everyone. We've decided that after the flop that was the initial assault, we'd step our plans down a little. We have to take the small continent to the south of the main Paxian island if we want to win. The Paxians, most likely know this, and are waiting for us. So suit up and get ready." Gale turned and limped towards her office. "Mrs. Despair, I'd like to speak to you. Alone. In my office. Now." She droned. Maria nodded and followed Gale into her office.

Which, incidentally, was still trashed from her fit of depression.

"You'll have to excuse the mess. The last talk we had rather upset me. I walk to talk to you, because I think you'll be happy to know that, after straining my brain, I remembered my mother. Her face, her voice, her name."

"That's good."

"She had the most trusting, beautiful eyes. Long, silky hair and the voice of an angel." Gale smiled. "She always cared for people. People felt safe around her, and she felt safe around people. She raised me from my disaterous youth into the person I am now. While I can't say I whole-heartedly thank her for that, she has given me things I'll take to my grave. A sense of loyalty. Honesty. Faith in my friends, and my friend's faith. And love. That is one thing her and my..." She paused. "My father tried to drill into my head. It worked."

"Why are you telling me this, Commander."

"Because my mother had eyes a piercing crimson. They demanded the truth, yet told you everything was alright. She had hair of seafoam, lulling people into a sense of safety. Her voice echoes decibles similar to your own. Your face is a mirror to hers, and you wear it well."

"So I look like your mother. Is that it?" Gale shook her head.

"No, Maria. You see, I also remembered her name. It was a name that, years ago, would have thundered across Lore, striking foes dead at the very sound. Maria Despair." Maria's happy-go-lucky smile vanished.

"What are you saying, Commander?" She asked simply.

"What do you mean?! Do I have to draw you a creator-damned map, mom?!" Gale's demeanor changed. Her voice filled with emotion, the droning robot gone.

"No." Maria spoke harshly, standing, pointing a threatening finger at Gale. "No! You are NOT my daughter! My daughter died centuries ago! Pretending to be my daughter will NOT make me happy with you! It'll only PISS ME OFF!" She shouted, throwing a hand to the side.

"I'm not pretending." Gale spoke simply. It was Gale's turn to be on the offensive.

"You are NOT MY DAUGHTER! My daughter was no killing machine! She had feelings! She laughed! She smiled! She cried, and hurt! You.. you just kill. If it looks at you funny, kill it. If it laughs at you, kill it. If it hurts you, kill it. That's all you CARE ABOUT! What's the body count at the end of the day?!"

"How's Safiria?" Gale continued.

"STOP! IT! RIGHT! NOW!" Maria shouted, grabbing piece of the shattered desk and heaving it at Gale.

Metal grinding.

A single 'shing'.

Wood splintering.

Silence.

Maria stood, her vision clouded with red, heaving after having thrown something rather heavy. Gale stood her ground, the pieces of the desk at either side of her. Her back was turned, a gloriously golden blade in her hand. The pieces of desk had a clean cut in them. Such strength.

"Finished, mother?" Gale asked, dropping the sword facing Maria.

"You are not my daughter. You are not Gale Despair. You will never be her. SHE! IS! DEAD!"

"You didn't answer my question. How's Safiria?" At this, Maria pulled her sidearm out, pointing it at Gale's forehead.

"If you don't stop this, I'll kill you." She droned, tears pouring down her face, lower lip trembling.

"Try it. Kill me. Then think to yourself 'Was she telling the truth? Did I just kill my own daughter?' That will eat you up, Mother."

"You..." She droned, lowering the gun. "Are..." She shook in place. "Not..." Pulling the hammer back, she stood firm. "My..." her grip tightened on the pistol. "Daughter!" She fired six times, each shot striking Gale in the chest. Commander Stormwind stumbled backwards from the impact, collapsing to the ground in a pool of blood.

-

John yawned loudly, cracking his neck. He'd heard yelling in there for a few minutes, but he was told to watch the door, not play peace keeper. He shined his new name badge, reading the name on it. 'John Anasi. Security Chief.' Yea... he liked that.

Gah. More shouting... Maybe he should just... no. He just got this job, he didn't want to blow it on a lover's quarrel. After all... that's what it was...

Right?

Tapping the assault rifle around his chest he hummed. This job payed more, but it was boring as hell. He took a chance glance at his watch. Almost lunch time. And he sure felt it. His stomach growled against the hunger pains.

"Don't worry... another hour and it'll be food time." He muttered to his stomach. He felt another yawn coming on.

This one was stopped by the sound of six gunshots coming from inside. Reacting, John took his rifle into a ready position and kicked the door in.

"Freeze!" He shouted, looking around. Inside was the green-haired woman who had entered with Commander Stormwind, pointing at a body on the floor with a pistol. "By the Creator?! What did you do?"

"She wouldn't... she wouldn't stop..." The woman muttered, in a daze. John, weapon still pointing at the woman with green hair, strafed around to look at the body.

"Good god..." His weapon safety clicked off. "Drop the gun, lady. Drop it or I'll drop you." He was stopped by a coughing sound.

"God..." a voice came from the body. "I forgot how much getting shot hurts..." John watched Commander Stormwind stand and shake herself off.

"How..." John muttered.

"If I give you two thousand credits, will you forget this ever happened, Anasi?" Gale muttered.

"Uh... yes ma'am."

"Anasi?" The woman with green hair asked.

"Yes... Security Chief John Anasi. Can I..." He stopped himself, re-pointing the gun at her. "I mean... drop it."

"Relax, John. She's not going to hurt anyone. Right, Maria?" Gale asked, holding her hand out, waiting for the gun. Maria sighed heavily, giving her the gun. "Do you want to know what happened, I'll tell you..." She stared at John. "Shouldn't you be guarding something, Anasi?"

"OH! Yes, sorry, Ma'am." He left.

"Here's the story, Mother."


	8. Innocence Lost

Innocence Lost

Seven

-Lore. 1500 Years in the Past-

A young, energetic Gale Despair stood on the steps of the Guardian Tower, looking at the town below. Today was the anniversary of, not only her acceptance as a Guardian, but her birthday as well.

"How do you know it's my birthday, mom? I thought you found me? And I certainly have no recollection of my birthday." Gale muttered to Maria as she milled about outside.

"Well, that's why I thought it would be a good idea for you to actually HAVE a birthday. Since my birthday is the anniversary of MY Guardianship, I thought it would be nice for yours to be the same!" Maria smiled, making sure Gale's cape was secured to her back. Gale rolled her eyes at the attention.

"I can dress myself, mom, honestly." She muttered.

"True. But I'm your mother. Obsessing over you is my job, okay?" Maria noticed Captain Krieger emerge from the tower.

"Maria. News from Graenemor. It seems they've had a series of thefts of food. Want to check it out?" Maria smiled. She'd be waiting for this day for a while. Something to do. She looked at Gale, then smiled. Maybe Maria's hero days were over... it's time, she thought, for Gale to really inherit the mantle of Despair.

"Na. Maybe Gale'll go." Maria suggested. Artix took a step back.

"Wow, Maria. Ten days ago, you were ready to kill some kid for touching her, now you're gonna plunge her right into a potentially dangerous situation? Talk about hypocrisy." Gale shuddered. She remembered all-to-well the events of ten days ago... Maria chuckled.

"Slight difference, Captain. No one expects their child to get into trouble just for going to school. At least I KNOW what I'm sending her into." The Elder Despair girl crossed her arms. Artix nodded.

"True. Think you can handle it, kid?"

"The Cape says I can, Captain!" She saluted. Artix laughed.

"Just like yer mother. So full of life." He looked at Maria. "Relatively speaking..." Maria smirked. "We'll be sending you in along with two other recruits. They go by the names Michelle Mjiolnier, and Johnathen Kyles. They'll meet you on the outskirts of Granemor, and you'll proceed to interrogate the villagers, and try to locate the source of the thefts. Good luck, Gale. But... being Maria's girl... I don't think I have to say that." He saluted. Returning the gesture, Gale smiled and went to the waiting wagon.

Throwing herself in, she sat down and settled her weapons next to her.

"Mrs. Despair. Welcome!" The man across from her spoke. "I worked with your mother a little in the past. I trust you'll enjoy this easy first mission. Sit down and relax. We'll take care of the driving." She settled in as the horses began moving.

-Granemor.-

The wagon came to a stop on the outskirts of the ghost town of Granemor. A cold wind blew across the plains, a cold forboding wind. Jumping out of the wagon, she was met with a smile from the two recruits mentioned.

"Mrs. Despair! Oh, it's an honor to finally meet you!" The young boy, Johnathan Kyles, saluted. The younger girl, probably seventeen or so, returned the salute,

"We finally get to meet the esteemed Gale Despair! I'm..." The girl bowed. "I'm humbled."

"Please, I'm no better then you guys." Gale waved it away, looking at Granemor from the overlook. "So. Did you guys do anything before I got here?"

"No. We were told to wait for you. So we did. What's the plan, Mrs. Despair."

"Two things. One. My name is Gale. Second, who made me leader?"

"Captain Kreiger thought it best if you lead. Said you had a way with plans. So what's up?"

"Okay... We've got a bit of time before sundown, so we split up. That's the inn there... we'll use that as our base. Michelle, you speak with the Innkeeper, try to get us someplace to stay. John, you start asking around the villagers, see what information they can provide. I'll look around the surrounding forest. Maybe they're hiding in Darkovia. Move out." She ordered. The others did as she told, going about their business.

Gale walked aimlessly around town, her eyes looking side to side almost unending. Something wasn't right here. She wasn't her mother, she was in no way as good as her mother, but Gale did manage to pick up things from Maria. Most notably was her infallible sense when danger was near. Her senses heightened as her ears picked up some bushes rustling.

"Show yourself!" She barked, drawing a sword.

"_Kaza jarra nak!_" A voice barked, a low, rumbling growl. Gale stood at the ready, prepared to defend herself.

"Show yourself!!" She barked again, the grip on her sword tightening.

"_Kaza jarra nak vrak!_" The voice continued. She knew this language well. Drakel. Gale motioned to speak again, but was interrupted by a mass of green flesh pouncing out. Gale struck first, knocking the creature away. Rolling under the mass and popping up on the other side, she readied herself. Her eyes widened at the sight.

"By the light..." She muttered. The creature was almost a Drakel. She had remembered her mother telling her stories of these beasts. Neither alive nor dead. Completely lethal. The flesh hung from it's bones with air, it's tongue hanging lazily out of it's mouth, it's right arm twisted into a huge claw, and it's other arm melted into a long tentacle. It's teeth were long and sharp, almost daggers. One of it's eyes was eaten away by maggots, and the other was hanging from the socket.

It opened its mouth wide, the lower jaw seemingly stuck on a broken hinge. The tongue hung as a shrill screech bellowed from it's chest. Gale inhaled the creature's stale, dead breath, her gag reflex causing her to nearly choke. Waving the stench away with one hand was all the distraction the beast needed. Screeching again, it whipped her sword from her hand, sending it into Darkovia. She watched it become lost in the forest and tried her best to avoid the creature's wide sweeps with it's claws.

"MICHELLE! JOHN! ANYONE!" She called, ducking a swipe. This thing was obviously more apt at weaponless combat then she was. "Good Elemental Lords! SOMEONE!" She continued shouting. The next swipe of the creature's claws shattered her armor into millions of pieces. Her lungs pushed a cry of agonizing surprise from her lips. The creature's claws had just scratched the surface of her body, but the wounds burned. This thing could probably tear her apart in one... maybe two swipes.

"Gale! Hold on! I'll help!" Michelle's voice came from her left. The armor-clad guardian jumped in hand sliced the creature's claw off. The piece of flesh fell to the ground, disintegrating on contact with the ground. It almost laughed as the stump exploded, a new claw, this one larger and sharper then the first, sprouted from it. It spun around and back-handed Michelle, knocking her off her feet, down and unconscious. The creature began to make wide swipes at Gale. She managed to duck and jump most of them, but one hit her right in the face, the claws missing her. The world clicked off and went black, her body falling to the ground.

She awoke to a grotesque chewing sound from around her. She looked about groggily, her eyes falling on Michelle's sword. She reached for it, but her left arm wouldn't respond. Painfully rolling over, she grabbed it with her right hand and hacked the creature's head off in one angered swipe. The sword flew from her hand and the world blacked out again.

-Some Time Later.-

"_Igna rane watanakat sehe_?" A voice growled. Gale's mind was too fried to be able to translate it. As her brain began to get a grip on her, the words began to slur and morph into comprehensible terms.

"_Jyat i _stable. _Hyanb va _critical." A second voice.

"Good. Tell me when she's awake." The first growled again.

"Uh, sir. She's awake." The second followed. Gale's eyes opened and she saw the face of a Drakel staring at her.

"Hey." He spoke in common, looking caringly at her.

"What..." She groaned, trying to shake the numb feeling from her. "What happaned? Where am I?"

"You're in the Super City of Ren'Tkak. You'll be fine."

"Ren... Ren'Tkak? But... It was..."

"Destroyed, yes. After it was destroyed years ago, we rebuilt it with assistance in mind. Don't worry, Young Despair. You'll be fine." Gale tried to sit up. Her legs refused to respond.

"Why can't I stand? Did you drug me or something?!"

"Only a pain killer. You were screaming when we brought you in." Gale reached up with her responsive right arm and grabbed his collar, pulling him down.

"What. Happened. To. Me." She growled.

"Uh..." he responded, looking around. "How to put this lightly..."

"TELL ME!" She shouted, shaking him fiercely.

"Young Despair, the DrakZombie not only relieved you of your left arm, but everything below your waist, as well..." he spoke coldly. Gale released him.

"What?" She growled. "It did WHAT?!"

"It took off your legs and arm." Gale looked down at the sheet covering her legs. Taking it, she threw it off. He wasn't kidding. Lying where her legs were supposed to be was most of her organs, spilt out across a metal table. Her heart rate stopped, her respiration stopped. By all accounts, she was legally dead for three seconds. Her only good hand shaking, she reached down and put hand into her chest cavity, taking hold of her rib cage.

It's said that, though the halls of Ren'Tkak are now long devoid of any life, when one walks the halls late at night, or early in the morning, the pained, terrified cry of Gale Despair still echoes through the halls. One can hear the young girl, her life shattered at the tender age of twenty nine. It was neither a cry or a scream, but both. The sound that escaped was said to bring tears to everyone in earshot, and make the air itself colder then the coldest December rain.

Gale threw her head back, tears flowing down her face. But this wasn't the only thing that made her cry. Though none of the Drakel knew what she ment, they did hear her continually moan all through the night.

"My baby... my little baby... why..." She cried for what seemed like years over the loss of her child.

-Two Weeks Later.-

"There you are, Mrs. Despair." The Drakel Technician smiled, wiping sweat from his face. He sat up and put the spanner on the ground. "All finished. Go ahead, walk around, tell me how it feels." Gale took a step, the cold metal making a dull thud against the steel floors. She raised her left hand before her eyes, griping the hand and looking around.

"Can you give me my child back?" She asked coldly, no emotion in her eyes.

"Mrs. Despair... You know as much as I do I can't. I'm sorry." The Technician replied, his eyes filled with sorrow.

"I thought so." She growled the reply and turned to leave.

"Mrs. Despair!" he shouted. Gale stopped. "What are you going to do now? I'm sure you're mother's worried about you..."

"I can't go back to Maria liked this. I can't go back to Battleon like this. I can't be seen by ANYONE like this! I'm a mechanical FREAK!" She shouted, angered tears filling in her eyes. "You know that, Shook'rak!" She shouted. The Technician did nothing to invoke her fury, but he understood why she was angry. The operation and the entire ordeal had changed Gale dramatically. Not only was her entire lower body and left arm mechanical, but the pain and anquish of loosing her child had turned her soft, smiling face into a stone visage of anger and rage. Her once-green hair was now jet black, dyed so to reflect her anguish. The loss of blood and the infusion of capatable Drakel blood had drained the soft, cheerful blue from her eyes, replacing it with a glowing, anquished red.

Since her operation, few things have changed. The red in her eyes died, becoming a green shade, but a harsh, accusing, scowl green. It's said that Gale Despair died that day. The day the metal came on, Gale Despair died, allowing Gale Stormwind to arise. Stormwind reflected her innate rage for all things Drakel, even the Drakel technology which kept her alive.

Before burning Ren'Tkak to the ground, Technician Shook'rak told her that the implants would preserve her life, but only for another millennia or so. He was the first to die.


	9. Blood Stained Lover

Blood-Stained Lover

Eight

-Lore. Present Day-

"Are you happy, mom? You finally know the truth. The painful, hurtful story of what happened to me? Are you happy that you finally know what happened?! Does it satisfy you!" She shouted, thousands of years of uncried tears falling from her eyes. Maria stood stone-faced. Gale hung her head. "I had unknown hatred of the Drakel. Despite what they did for me... despite of the second chance at some faximily of life they gave me, I slaughtered every one of them. I spared the city... just that one. I then went city to city, slaughtering every. Single. One of them! And burning their cities! Elizabeth was right! Kill them all! Why do you think I joined the military! Once the Drakel broke off, becoming the Paxians, I had to join. I had to slaughter them. I knew I couldn't be killed... they built me too good."

"Gale, honey..." Maria muttered. Gale faced the window, her back to Maria, and crossed her arms.

"I don't need your charity! I don't need ANYTHING from you! Where the hell were you when I was getting BUTCHERD by those THINGS?! HUH!? Where the bloody hell where you?!" She wheeled around on her heels, facing the green-haired Maria, drawing her sword. "Don't make me kill you, mom. And I swear I will! I am not that little girl you sent to her death!!" She shouted, gritting her teeth, grinding them painfully.

"Gale..." Maria's face softened.

"Don't! NO! Don't you smile at me! I'm not your daughter any more! I am NOT YOUR DAUGHTER!" She began shaking slightly, moving her black hair from her face. "I am not Gale Despair anymore, Gale Despair died when you sent her to her death!"

"I didn't send you to your death, Gale... please..." Gale held the blade steady. Maria did nothing to either encourage her, nor deter her from whatever thoughts were running through her mind. With no shred of warning, Maria's demeanor changed from caring to... angry. "What do you plan to do, Gale? Kill me? Are you going to kill me for what YOU wanted to do?"

"No..." Gale groaned, the grip on her sword faulting recovering, she held firm. "I never wanted this fate! I didn't WANT to go! I went because I WANTED to impress you! I wanted to show you that I wasn't just your little girl, but YOU! I was every bit you are and MORE!"

"So your pride killed you? Maybe you did deserve what you got, Gale. Maybe death was life's way of telling you to stuff it." Maria groaned. "You've changed so much, Gale. That sweet, little girl who I found blubbering in the shell of a burnt out building.. gone. Now all I see is... me. You've done what you've set out to do, Gale. You've become me. With everything that comes with. How does it feel, Gale? How does it feel to look in the mirror in the morning and see 'murderer' appear across the face of the glass in blood. The blood of those you've killed. Innocents, those who deserve death, it doesn't matter, you just slaughter them all. Can I give you a hint, Gale?" Again, Gale's grip on the sword faltered, and it dropped. Rolling under the desk and coming up behind Gale, Maria grabbed the girl by the back of the head, slamming her face into the face of the repaired desk. Gale groaned, but didn't show any pain. She tried to reach back and attack Maria with the sword, which Maria wrenched from her hand, digging it blade first into the ground. "Here's your hint, Gale! If you don't have the guts to kill me, by gods I'm going to do it first!"

Gale struggled against Maria's grasp, but it was too strong. The Vampire had her at a strength advantage. Gale had to try something different. Struggling to her side, she drew the pistol she kept holstered there. Gripping it and turning it backwards, she fired three times, two hitting Maria in the stomach, the third hit her leg. Stumbling back from the impact, Maria lost her grip and looked at Gale, who was holding the pistol, pointed at her head.

"This fate was not of my choosing, monster. They did this to me! With you! You and them! You all deserve death for what you did!" Two more shots rang out, one hitting Maria in the shoulder, the second pancaking harmlessly against the opposite wall. Maria ignored the blood flowing from her open wounds, only staring at Gale.

"That's it, Gale. Give into your bitterness. A few more hits like that, and I'll be dead. And you'll take my place as the resident evil. C'mon. You've got the gun. You've got the ammo, and you've got reason. Now all you've gotta have is the guts to pull the damn trigger!" Reflexes honed throughout the century make Maria drawing her pistol a lightning quick affair, the weapon snapping from idle to ready in mere nanoseconds. A single shot echoed in the room, the bullet hitting Gale in the shoulder, the impact causing her aim to degrade, the muscle reflex causing her to fire again, the shot going wide. "Pull the trigger, or I'll do it. And let me tell you something right now. I don't give two sticks who you were in life, but just like me, you're a shadow now. And shadow needs light." While Gale was stunned, Maria roundhouse kicked her to the side of the head, knocking her over. Recovering, Gale fired three more times, all the shots striking Maria in he chest. No noticeable effect rendered, Gale dropped the clip and put a new one in.

"Don't make me kill you!"

"Oh!? So know it's 'don't make me kill you'. Earlier it was 'I'm gonna kill you for what you've done!'. It's amazing how someone's demeanor can change when they're lives are in the balance. You don't care about me, and the only thing I care about you is how quickly you'll die." Firing once more, the gun was expelled from Gale's hand. "You chose this path. I can only show you the end." Turning the laser sight on, she watched Gale roll to the left and recover her gun.

"You think you'd be the first one I've killed that I've been close to!? You're nothing compared to Kay!" Gale shouted.

"Kay?! No... tell me you didn't!!"

"Oh yes. I killed her. After my death, Kay and Jess were torn apart, finding comfort only in each other's arms... a fact Lizzie loathed." Maria's grip faltered, the gun nearly dropping from her hand. "Kay and Jess... they started dating. I wouldn't have minded it ideally... but something happened that I could not allow...

-Lore. 1500 years prior.-

Gale entered Yulgar's Inn again, her limp ever present in her stride. She walked to the bar and sat down, leaning her sword against the bar.

"Greetings, ma'am. New here?" Yulgar greeted her as he had greeted dozens before her. Gale only nodded. "What's yer name. If you don't mind me askin'."

"Gale Stormwind." She replied sharply, never missing a beat.

"Stormwind... interesting... Can I get you somethin' to drink? Or somethin' to eat, maybe?" He wiped his hands on a cloth.

"What's good." She droned, more of a sentence then a question. Yulgar smiled.

"Lots'a stuff! We have meals from all over Lore! Here." He slide her a menu. She opened it and scanned the pages, finally settling on something.

"I'll have a hamburger please. Well done, provolone cheese, pickles and fried onions." She rambled off, Gale Despair's favorite food.

"You've got a good taste there, girl. I knew someone who liked her burgers the same wa-"

"I don't want to talk, I want to eat, and move on, okay?" Gale groaned pointedly. Yulgar looked her over. She had a battle-hardened look about her. Nodding slightly, he went to go cook it. The door opened again, two girls walking in. The first was a younger human. She looked remarkably like Lizzie, but her demeanor suggested Rayne. The second was a tall, thin Drakel girl.

"You can't just rot over in the cemetery, Kay, you must learn to eat." The Drakel addressed the other.

"I know, Jess... I know... but I miss her..."

"You forget, I miss Gale too. But crying over her tombstone won't bring her back." The Drakel, Jess continued. Kay nodded. Suddenly, something told Gale to say something to Kay, let her know she's not dead...

"I would give anything to see Gale again..." A small tear ran down her cheek. As Gale watched, the urge to speak grew, but so did the demand to keep shut. The two girls two the stools next to Gale, and continued talking.

"Yulgar!" Jess shouted.

"I'll be right there!" Yulgar replied, emerging seconds later with a flame-broiled burger. Her set it before Gale. "There ya go, Gale. Enjoy." The two new girls snapped a look at the one next to them. Jess spoke first.

"Jess'athra." She extended her hand, which Gale took, never moving her head.

"Gale Stormwind." She replied simply, going to eat her food.

"Are you new in town, Ms. Stormwind?" Jess continued.

"Yea... you could say that." She replied after swallowing a bite from her food. Jess just stared at the new girl, trying to figure something out. Something rang... familiar with the Drakel.

"I have a question..." Jess spoke.

"I think I have an answer. I don't care if they match." Gale replied, slapping the desk. "Oi, big man." She ordered, Yulgar coming from the kitchen again.

"Ya called?" he asked.

"Could I get some water?" She asked quickly. "Please." She added almost as a second thought. Nodding, he got her one. Motioning with a hand, she thanked him.

"Do you know a Gale Despair."

"No." Gale replied rather quickly. Too quickly.

"You answered that too fast." Kay pipped up.

"You asked me if I knew someone. If I have to think about people I know, it's sad. Why? What was this Gale Despair to you?"

"A close friend." Both girls answered in unison.

"If she's a friend, why are you mourning her death?"

"How do you know she's dead?!" Jess asked sharply.

"Your reptilian voice could kill a Natator from miles away. You can't talk quietly, it's not hard." Gale was being unusually cruel to Jess.

"What does that mean?" The Drakel continued.

"What do I mean?" Gale finished the last of her food, and downing her glass. "I mean you sound like a foghorn at point blank. Not too hard to not hear. Watch your back, Lizard. Heard the Mourner's still runnin' about." Gale stood and walked to the door. Gale heard the sound of a chair falling over.

"Jess, don't! It's not worth it..." Kay mused, holding the Drakel in control. "Stormwind!" Kay shouted. Gale stopped and turned slowly around, facing her. "What do you know of the Mourner."

"Her name." Gale replied simply. She exited. Kay, unsatisfied with the response, gave chase.

"Hey!" Kay shouted. Making no notion the she heard the girl, Gale continued to walk. "HEY! I'm TALKIN' to you!" Kay shouted.

"Funny that. I'm not listening." Gale continued to walk. The sound of a bow being drawn caused Gale to drop, an arrow sailing over her head.

"Turn around, you cowardly dog!" Kay shouted. Standing and dusting herself off, Gale faced her. Kay had another arrow notched in the bowstring. Kay simply pointed at Gale's heart. "Tell me. What name does The Mourner answer to?" Kay groaned, the strain of the bowstring's tension ever present.

"That Bow's not yours. Is it?" Gale muttered nonchalantly.

"It is now."

"It's too tense to be yours. Judging by how taught the string is... it belonged to someone... twice... no three times your strength. A Rayne Anasi, maybe?"

"How do you know who?" Kay fired the arrow at the ground, relieving her of the stress. "HOW?!" Gale only grinned.

"I was there when she was killed. I watched her die."

"No you weren't! You just got into town!"

"Really?" Gale answered as Jess followed.

"Tell me, what is the name of the Mourner!" Kay demanded.

"You will not like the answer." Gale responded, picking under a finger nail.

"TELL ME!"

"You want to know the truth? Fine. I'll tell you. The Mourner's name is Elizabeth Miura." The bow fell from Kay's hand with a dull thud.

"You lie." Kay replied, her voice and body trembling. Jess shook her head.

"Elizabeth was a good woman! Don't you smear her good name, demon!"

"Well then. If she's not the Mourner, I'd love to meet her. Could you let me meet her?" Kay froze.

"I..."

"Oh, no it's no bother to me, I would absolutely love to meet the famous Elizabeth Miura.

"I... I don't know where she is..."

"I thought so. That's because she's to busy eviscerating people like your Drakel friend here, to care about your upbringing."

"Stop it..." Kay muttered, tears falling from her eyes.

"Kay... what is this woman saying...?" Jess asked.

"Her mother's a murderer! She goes around the country side, tearing Drakel heads from necks! She'd rip your scaly ass a new hole!" Gale shouted. This really wasn't like her... Jess saved her life...

But so did the other Drakel... and look what she is now!

"Why you little- Lizzie would never do that!" Jess shouted, drawing a sword from her waist. "Take it back!"

"Oh, what do we have here!? The snake has some bite!" Gale laughed. "What would Lizzie think... oh, that's right... She doesn't! She'll just rip you apart! Tear your eyes out with her hands! Slit your throat for what you did!"

"I did nothing!"

"SHE DOESN'T CARE!" Gale shouted. "The only thing she cares about is that you're Drakel Born, and thus, guilty.

"STOP IT!" Kay bellowed. "STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" Her eyes dropped. "My mother is not the Mourner, and you know it."

"There's only one thing to do. Ask her when you see her next."

"SHUT UP!" Kay, like Jess, drew a sword.

"Attack and die." Gale muttered.

"My mother is a good woman! She would never kill anyone!" Gale's eyes went hard.

"Drakel aren't people. They're monsters that cling to their technology. The put cybernetics into everyone, regardless of whether they want it or not!" Jess' reptilian eyes went cold and piercing. "The Mourner is right. They should be destroyed."

"ENOUGH!" Jess shouted, charging. With unseen reflexes, Gale drew her sword and jammed it into the Drakel's chest. "Ah!" She groaned, looking at the wound.

"JESS!" Kay shouted as Gale kicked the sword from the woman. Running to Jess' side, Kay threw herself on her knees. "No... no... you can't die... you're the only memory of Gale I have... no..." The bright green in Jess' skin died slowly, paling.

"Kay... I love you... I'm sorry I... had to go first..."

"Enough of the sap!" Gale shouted, driving the sword into her chest again. Her blood spouted from the wound and pooled under her. "If you know what's best, you'll escape."

"Rayne..." She muttered, tears falling. "Elizabeth..." She continued. "Gale..." She sniffed heavily, wiping tears away. "And now Jess..." Gripping her sword she got to a knee. "No... I lost my parents... to a situation I couldn't control... Gale died by monsters... and now Jess... killed by one too... This time... I'll take the MONSTER DOWN!" She struck wildly, slashing Gale across her chest. It would be the only hit Kay would get. Dropping to a knee, Gale drove her sword into Kay's chest. Pausing for a moment, she gave it a twist, her body convulsing.

"It didn't have to be this way... Kay..." Gale muttered, setting her on the ground. "I'll always love you..." Looking at Gale with a more objective eye, her glazed eyes lit up.

"Gale... tha- that is you..." She coughed, blood fountaining from her mouth, splattering on her face. "I thought... I thought I recognized you... You're alive... I'm... happy... You always were... bet... better..." She died. Leaning down, Gale planted a final kiss on her lips, stood, and ran.

-Lore. Present Day-

"How could you?" Maria asked, staring at her, the gun had long fallen from her hands.

"She left me no choice."

"But... Kay... Jess... they were both kids... and your friends... You killed your friends?!"

"What's past is past." Gale answered simply. Before Maria could respond, a knock came from the door.

"What?!" Both women shouted.

"Uh... C-Commander Stormwind... Command wants to see Maria Despair..." Maria just stared at Gale, shook her head and left out the door, knocking the man over accidentally on the way out. The sight that assailed Maria's eyes was one from the past.

Author's Note: This is the Intermission of Maria's Storyline. Next up is the Girl's Storyline.


	10. Tenth Man Down

Author's Note: This is the FULL, non-song version of the one-shot "Tenth Man Down". Once more, "Tenth Man Down" is owned by Nightwish. And you thought it was AU.

Tenth Man Down

Nine

The crowd gathered outside the courthouse was in an uproar. Soldiers don't act like this! They don't kill their own! And for what just cause? The fear of their own lives? These were not the actions of a soldier. These were the actions of a coward.

The sound of the gavel striking the desk brought the courtroom to a hushed pause.

"This Military Tribunal is now coming to order. High Judge Jay Horner presiding." Judge Horner bellowed to the courtroom. "Will the defendant please stand?" A girl with wavy, short green hair, her face muddied and her clothes bloodstained, stood, staring the judge squarely in his eyes. A white bandage was wrapped around her right hand, hiding a self-induced cut. "Maria Despair, you are accused of ten counts of murder. The names of the victims are to be read out by your own voice." Maria, her hand still as stone, picked up a piece of paper and read aloud, her voice as smooth as glass.

"Rayne Anne Anasi, sister, daughter, mother, and wife. Serras Nerra, daughter. Armourous Koutetsu, son, husband and father. Angela Wolf, son. Shiro Kiba, son and brother. Maia Hood, daughter and sister. Felix Katdemon, daughter. Kyle Ross, son and husband. Sarah Connler, daughter. Artix Krieger, son and husband." Discarding the paper, she stared at Horner.

"Having read the names before you, how do you plead your case, Maria Despair."

"I will say neither. My fate is not in my hands any more... It never has been." She responded coldly. Jay pushed his glasses up and cracked an approving smile, which vanished as quickly as it appeared.

"Tell us, in your own words, the events of August twelfth, two thousand eight, if you would."

"To understand the events of the day in question, Your Honor, you must understand the circumstances which brought them around."

"Then, help us understand. Tell us the circumstances." Horner mused.

"It began as I walked into Battallion Commander Artix Krieger's office. We were told that a small Paxian force had set up a base on the boarders of Labryanna and Battleon." She spoke, ignoring the centuries-old name change. "He wanted two thousand men and women of the Military to take that base and show them who's boss... In his own words. So, I, along with one thousand nine hundred and ninty nine Marines of Battleon, went to the Crystal Desert to take the base. What happened after that... could only be described as a massacre."

-One Week Prior-

"You don't talk much, do you?" The young raven-haired girl spoke, staring at Maria through chocolate amythest eyes, the jeep they were piled into shaking with the rough road. "You need to loosen up some, ya know? Talk to people!" The woman held her hand out. "I'm Rayne Anasi. My brother is the chief of the guards at the base." Maria just gave a little wave, turning her head away.

"Give it up, Anasi. She's not gonna talk to you." A young man with jet black hair muttered, slapping Rayne's shoulder lightly. The raven haired Rayne nodded and sat back into her seat. "But, I'll be damned if we'll be fighting with people we don't know. Sergeant Angela Wolf. My friends call me Wolfblitzer."

"Angela? A boy named Angela?" A young red-headed girl asked, chuckling some. Angela smiled and nodded.

"Yep. My father was so hell-bent he was gonna have a daughter, he had a name picked out. My mother told me his face was a mix of panic and hurt when he figured it out I was gonna be born a male. But he said 'hell! I'm still namin' him Angela!' and he did. But... I'm glad he did. I get to bust the teeth in of any guy who laughs at me. And the girls think it's cute." The van laughed, except Maria, who only turned farther from the group.

"My name is Rayne Anasi, and as I said, my brother is on the base we're from. Anyways, I wanted to come here to help fight off the Paxians!" She smiled.

"I'm Serras Nerra, and this is my sister Natalya Nerra." The red-head from earlier, introduced herself, and the other red-head beside her. They looked just like their namesakes. "We're also kinda here to kill the Paxians."

These introductions continued. The entire ten-man van consisting of Serras and Natalya Nerra, Angela Wolf, Rayne Anasi, a younger girl named Felix Katdemon, a young hot headed man named Shiro Kiba and his collage friend Armorous Koutetsu, a young medic who responded to the handle Sarah Connler, the company's radio operator Kyle Ross, the unit's sniper named Maia Hood, and Maria herself. Each one giving a similar reason for joining... the chance to kill Paxians. Maria finally snapped.

"Have you ever killed someone before!?" She bellowed, rocketing to a stand. "Have you ever watched someone bleed slowly out from a gunshot wound? Have you watched them die slowly? Painfully? It's ugly. There eyes... they beg why? Why did you kill them? What did they ever do to you? HUH!? What reason do you have to kill them? You're told to? That's not reason. It's an excuse." The others stared at her with a dumbfound look. They all had a similar suspicion that she was right, and it scared them.

The rest of the jeep ride passed in total hostage-taking silence, the Crystal Pass rolling quickly by, the vast hills of the Crystal Desert crawling by. The sun was now dying in the horizon, the last whisps of light reflecting off the crystals, just as Maria remembered.

"It's so beautiful..." Rayne muttered looking out the back and the sand.

"It's a deathtrap. Let's not be caught by the Paxians out here." Maria muttered unfeelingly.

"Front Six is just ahead... probably another three miles or so north. Once we get there we'll-" The driver began, an explosion launching the jeep they were in into an arc skyward. Someone in the jeep screeched like a scared child, others groaned against the centrifugal force. Maria blacked out temporarily.

When she awoke, she was lying amongst the smoldering wreckage of the convoy she was part of. Most everyone was alive, but unconscious.

"_Come on! Pick up the pace! Those filthy humans will be waking up any moment now! Round them up and kill them all._" A reptilian voice hissed above her. Remaining as still as possible, she assessed the situation. Three Paxians, possible four, and a CS-6 Dragon Rifle a few feet from her. From the look on the clip, it was full. If she could grab it...

The CS-6 Multi-Function Combination Rifle. Four weapons rolled into one. The weapon broke down into an assault rifle, a shotgun with an underside-mounted grenade launcher, and when you put the two pieces together with a scope, it became a very efficient sniper rifle. The Paxians gave it a different name due to it's horrific method of killing and never being seen. The Dragon. So, the unofficial name of it was the Dragon Rifle.

Slowly, Maria reached for the rifle. Her fingers slipping around the handle, she stood, the Paxians not facing her. One suddenly turned around and gasped.

"_Commander!_" He barked, the other three spinning around. Maria brought the weapon up, her grip shaking intentionally. The Paxians stared at awe at the woman carrying the weapon, which she had fully constructed to a Sniper Rifle. At this range, hitting someone in the foot would blow their entire leg off. She was pointing it at his chest. At this range, a center-mass hit would fragment his body into quite literally a million pieces. One Paxian smiled.

"_Come now, human. You're outnumbered, and even if you have a Dragon, you're still outgunned._" He and his cronies pulled pistols out. "_In the time it would take you to kill one of us, the other three will gun you down._" He chuckled. "_You're not even holding it steady! I'd be surprised if you could even hit ONE of us!_"

"You're overconfident. How do I know I'm not bullshitting you? My aim could be better then you think." Maria grinned.

"_I doubt tha-_" He cut off as Maria's aim steadied and she dropped her support hand under the barrel, holding a very-much-so two handed weapon with one hand, flawlessly. "_Wha-!?_" He gasped, as the barrel pressed against his head.

"Do you know what this weapon will do to you at point blank? At point blank, a shot from this will not only take your head clean off your shoulders, but it will take most of your torso with it. At point blank, a shot from this will disintegrate your body if I hit you in the torso. At point blank, a shot from this will take your legs off from you for firing BETWEEN them. I don't even have to HIT you to fuck you up. So ask yourselves one question while you're staring at me. I've got five shots. There's four of you. How long do you think you'd last if you attacked? The question you should be asking yourself if..." She paused for effect. "Do you feel luck? Do you? Punks?"

"_Don't just stand there you fools! Take her-_" He couldn't finish his sentence. With reactions and speed like Lore has never seen in some time, three loud shots rang out, and his three guards were missing parts of their bodies in ways too gruesome to describe. He stared at her with fear and anxiety in his eyes. She was everything she said she was... and more.

"Wrong answer. Now, give me one good reason why I shouldn't blow your legs off?"

"_I-_" Maria pulled the trigger, the shell exiting the weapon, passing between his legs, creating a decent sized crater behind him, the pressure wave from the bullet tearing his legs from his torso. The Paxian, clearly no soldier, fell to the ground and cried in white-hot agony.

"Wrong answer again." Maria muttered coldly, pointing the barrel at him. "Where are you from?"

"_There..._" He could hardly talk through his pain. "_There's a base three miles north of here! I swear it! Just... end my misery!_" He hollered, gripping the dirt in pain. Maria lowered the weapon and nodded.

"Thanks." Dropping the clip from the weapon and replacing the assault rifle clip in, she fired half the clip into him, giving him a painful death. Slinging the weapon to her side, she gave the soldier closest to her a nudge with her foot. "Up and at 'em, soldier. We got a job to do."

"Ugh..." He muttered, getting to his hands and knees. "What the hell happened?"

"All ya'll just slept through the world's worst case of sniper fire. Get up. Our front's three miles north of here, and we gotta get there before daybreak."

"Why?" Maria grabbed the man, the one who introduced himself as Shiro Kiba, and growled at him.

"Because once the SUN comes up, we'll be TARGETS! Now move it!" He nodded and began getting others up.

-

The group was up, re-equipped and moving within ten minutes, Maria in the lead. The Crystal Desert was a cold at night as she remembered, trekking though it all those years ago with Ari-Ita in the lead... better memories of better times...

Something stopped her. Giving her unit the sign to stop, she looked around. Something wasn't right here... something stank of...

"SPEAR TANK!" Someone shouted from the rear, pointing at a spider-legged tank with a huge six-barreled spear launcher on it's back. The tank itself held around twelve hundred twenty foot long, three inch spears. The Paxians used this tank as a way of breaking down enemy lines. They fired these twenty foot long spears from the launcher down the enemy's lines, killing dozens in one hit.

"SCATTER!" Maria shouted, ordering her troops to make themselves like air and disperse. The Spear Tank's core weakness is they will almost never fire on lone troops, it being a waste of ammo.

"Who's got the heavy artillery?" Someone else shouted, ducking behind one of the crystals.

"That's me!" Another replied, loading a rocket launcher, testing the site. "Leave that behemoth to me!" He called, strafing out from cover to fire the missile, but the tank seemed to expect it, as the second the man's chest became visible, the tank fired a spear, puncturing right through him, pinning him to a crystal. He was dead on impact.

"Damnit!" Maria swore, getting back behind cover. One of the other soldiers ran for the rocket launcher. "No, you idiot!" She shouted just as another spear pierced her head, splitting her skull wide open. "If I see anyone running for that, I'll kill you myself!" Maria called to her troops, who nodded. Maria's head spun and whirled, her brain trying to think of something to do. There was only five hundred of them left after that event with the convoy, and now there was two less. That thing had more then enough ammo to kill every single one of them. None of their weapons, save that rocket launcher, had any kind of punch behind it. Nothing they had, in short, would work. Maybe she could climb on top of it...

Following the sand behind it with her eyes, she spied her entry point. The Spear Tank's rear entry hatch. Leaning just enough of her body around the corner, she fired at the hatch, the bolts snapping off with the force, the hatch swinging open. Maria smiled.

"Keep that thing busy! I'm gonna take it down!" She called, readying to move. To moment she made any inclin to move, a spear shot before her, stopping her. "Shit!" Growling under her breath, she had had enough. Giving the soldier next to her the Dragon Rifle, she pulled her side arm out and walked out from behind cover, firing the pistol.

"Commander! What are you doing?!" The soldier she gave the Dragon to ran out to help, but Maria shoved him back behind cover.

"Stay put! That's an order! I know what I'm doing!" She barked, firing again. The desired effect happened. The tank slowly turned to face her, the spear launcher on it's back coming to bear. It fired three times. Maria dropped the pistol and waited. The first and second shot she managed to dodge, the third she caught mid-flight. Her back turned to the tank, she packed a few pounds of C-6 on the spear, just below the head. Hiking it above her head like a javilin, she threw it with speed and accuracy towards the tank, the spear striking just above the front-left leg joint, piercing eighteen feet into the armor. Smiling, she took the C-6 detonator from her belt and pushed the button, the entire left side of the Spear Tank erupting into a glorious burst of yellow and orange flame. "From Maria, with love." She smiled as the tank crippled under it's massive weight. Maria heard her unit give forth a mighty cheer as the behemoth sputtered and collapsed, erupting into a huge fireball.

"Enough cheering. Get moving, it'll be dark soon." She growled to the men and women, who's cheers died to nothing but a stifled 'woohoo'.

The rest of the trip passed with no events, until Front Six was reached by the now tired, hungry and weak soldiers. They were looking forward to a decent meal. 'Decent' being a relative notation with military food. When they arrived at Front Six, they were greeted by a group of ragged, weak, and obviously starving men.

"Please, for the love of all things holy, tell us your our reinforcements!"

"That's right. Battlefield Commander Maria Despair, Delta Division. Where's your commanding officer?" As a common courtesy, she extended her hand, which the man shook.

"Well, BC, you're the highest officer here, at the moment. Hell, you're probably the ONLY officer here."

"What? How is that?"

"Our commander was killed ten weeks ago when this shit started."

"Ten weeks? We were told the base was only a few days old!"

"So were we, and the soldiers before us had been here ten weeks, too."

"You're kidding me..." Maria groaned. "How have your orders been coming in?"

"Via Satellite. They've not changed since we got here. We've charged every day for ten weeks... we keep loosing more good men. I thought those Paxian bastards were gonna waste us all before help arrived. I'm glad you're here. Come inside, we'll bring you and your men up to speed." The man lead Maria and her unit into a small command-like cave dug into the side of one of the trenches.

"Okay, here's the situation. The Paxians have established a huge base about three hundred meters away..."

"Three hundred meters? That's not far at all."

"No... Artix would have you believe it's farther then that, probably a mile or so... but it's close... a bit too close for comfort. The orders have come in daily, charge. That's it, he wants that base taken... but we can't, not with so few men. But that's not the worst part. The worst part is the Paxian's attack at night. They lob shells at us at night. Not to hit us, no it's to keep us awake... they're fatiguing us with their constant attacks. Neither me or my men have slept much or eaten for that matter in about three days."

"Damnit..." Maria muttered, turning to her unit. "How many of you are left."

"Eighty or so."

"Alright, men, listen up!" She addressed to her unit. "I want eighty of you to step forward." The aforementioned number of men did so, standing at attention. "I want you men to share your meals with one man here. They've not eaten in a few days, I'm sure they'll appreciate it." The men nodded and acknowledged. The man who greeted them looked at his watch.

"The bombardment will start soon. We're in for another long night."

"I never caught your name." Maria muttered.

"Oh. True. I'm Private Jay Horner. Junior. Mother always told me to stay out of the military..." He seemed to chuckle a stifled laugh.

The bombardment did start soon after that. The explosions and fire and gunshots rang out in the night, preventing everyone from sleeping.

-Lore: High-Court. Present Day-

"That was the cycle for that week. Charge in the day, endure another long night of sleepless insanity. Over the course of that week, we lose our entire unit, only myself and nine of my men left alive."

"But why did you kill them!? Why couldn't you just retreat?!" Horner demanded.

"Because, you honor, they had nothing left in them. The trek across the Crystal Desert would have killed them. They were dead no matter how you sliced it."

"Couldn't you have told them to hide?"

"The Paxians were about to raid the front. IF they had hid, they would have been found, captured and torturned."

"A rescue attempt would have been-"

"I think someone in this room isn't familiar with Paxian torture. Do you know what they do? I didn't think so." She responded instantly, filling the courtroom with silence. "Paxians don't have Geneva Convention rules preventing torture... and that's what it is. It's not interrogations, it's not a questioning, it's torture. When Paxian's want information from you, the strap you, stark naked, to a table. Hook diodes to your nipples, fingers, anything they can find, and yes, Your Honor, even your penis. Then, they ask you a question. If you don't answer the question, the zap you with about, oh, one hundred volts of electricity. That really won't hurt much. Oh, no then they zap you again, doubling the voltage. They keep doubling it and asking you the same question. If they like you're answer, they'll stop, disconnect you from the table, throw a sheet over you, the throw you into a cell. Inside that cell, they have three things. They give you a plate with a half loaf of crusty bread, a glass of water next to it, and a pistol on the bed. The pistol has a single bullet in it. What's the pistol for, you ask? Easy. They don't want information from you, they want to to demoralize you. And that's what the pistol is for. They want you to kill yourself. I should no. That's the only way-"

"Yes, Mrs. Despair. 'That's the only way you escaped when you were captured.' Don't flaunt your record in my face, Mrs. Despair, we all know about your little.. episode." Jay adjusted his glasses and stacked some papers. "Just tell us of the events of August Tweltfh." Maria growled loudly, put her own glasses on.

"As you all know, I did kill the final nine members of my squad. I did this to save them from torture."

"And what of these grenades you claim to have thrown?"

"I threw two grenades over the trench wall out of, admittedly, anger. I tied some dogtags to the grenades to show them I do not forget."

"And this diary?" The judge took a small diary and opened it to the last page with something written on it. "This is a diary written in your own hand. Can you please tell us the meaning of the following phrase?" He cleared his throat, and read. "'I envy the nine lives that gave me hell. My path made up by their torn bodies. Man to man... Soldier to soldier... Dust to dust... Call me a coward, but I can't take it any more.' What is the meaning of this?"

"Exactly how it sounds. I envy those who are now at rest. I envy those whom I ended. Now, though their end was expected, the means was the quickest, least painful available. The path I now walk is made up of the bodies of those who came before me, and will be made up of those who will come after me. Every man and soldier whom I loved dies, and I'm trapped in this shell of my former self for all eternity."

"What are you-"

"And call me what you will, a coward or a fool, I couldn't take the bombardment any longer."

"Well... Maria Despair, it seems as though the court has come to a conclusion. I find the defendet, Maria Despair, G-"

"Your Honor!" A female voice called, interrupting the preceedings.

"Commander Stormwind. What is the meaning of this?"

"I present to you, for the court's approval, a notice of surrender from the Paxians located in Labryanna have surrendered. Reasons? For the court's approval, and enjoyment, here's the reasons." Gale cleared her throat and read from the paper. "Front Seven reports that, late last night, two, well-placed grenades were thrown, with great accuracy and power, from Front Six, which both landed within eight inches of Vaa'raa Eyak and H'ch Vaka'errra, High Commanders of the Babylonian branch of the Paxian militia, killing them instantly. The base fell to the Labryannan Marine Corps. shortly after."

"Are you saying-"

"This war, Judge Horner, needs more heroes then traitors. We've had too many traitors to count. "

"What are you suggesting, Commander Stormwind?"

"Simply this. Maria Despair admitted to slaying her friends, but she has also admitted it was to save them from a horrific death. And no one in this courtroom really understands the horrifying practices that is Paxian Torture. I am willing to believe, if the rest of the courtroom is, that their deaths were out of mercy. However... for the murder of Artix Krieger... it should be seen fit for her to... feel that life is too much bear... the deaths of her friends should weigh heavily on her conscious and she feels it necessary to... make the suffering stop."

"Gale!" Maria barked, reaching across the table to grab Gale's collar. "What are you saying?!"

"Suicide, Maria. Forced Suicide."

"It's murder, is what it is!" Gale stared at Maria.

"Funny. So is what you did."

"This court finds Maria Despair innocent!"

As the verdict was read outside, it was met with mixed emotions. Some of the crowd believed the story they were fed, others stayed stalwart to the truth. As Maria exited, a reporter caught up to her.

"Why?! Why did you do it?" She asked. Maria simply offered a wave of her bandaged hand.

"I'm no hero. Krieger's life wasn't the only one I've taken."

"What do you mean?" Clearing her throat, Maria prepaired to do a little song.

"_Yesterday I killed, she was just a child. Eight before her, I knew them all._" Before she finished, a young woman approached Maria.

"Miss. Despair?" She asked, hands in her pocket.

"Yes?" Maria answered.

"My name is Annette Krieger. I want you to die." Producing a six-shot revolver from her pocket, she drew a bead on Maria's forehead and pulled the trigger six times, each time the bullet in the chamber going click. Confused, she looked down the barrel, trying to see what was wrong. On the seventh pull, the gun fired, Annette's head exploding, her body falling limply to the ground.

Confused, a crowd gathered around. Maria simply crouched down, put a hand on Annette's back, and whispered softly:

"The greatest monsters Lore has ever seen failed to kill me. My own allies failed to kill me. And not even time itself can kill me. What made you think you could?" Standing, Maria continued her walk away.

Ending Author's Note: Slight clarification there. Seems some people thought the line "Her head exploding" was in reference to Maria. No, it was Annettte. It was early when I wrote this, and was tired. Sorry for the confusion.


	11. An End To All Things

An End To All Things

Ten

Maria stared coldly at the grave, the rain coming down is sheets. So this is how it would end? The last sliver, last memory of the happy days? Dead for good. Maria watched in silence as the pastor spoke, empty words leaving his mouth. He didn't know her. No one did. No one knew the woman now buried six feet underground like Maria did. But she couldn't do anything. She wasn't even allowed to speak at her funeral. Oh no, they'd LET her speak, but Maria had nothing to say. What was she going to say? What COULD she say that she'd not already told herself dozens of times over past millenia and a half?

She re-read the words on the grave over and over again in her head, trying to force herself to try to tell herself that while it did happen, that it really didn't and this was some horrible dream.

Gah, that didn't make any sense, she thought, trying to sort out her own thoughts. Who was she kidding? She'd been dead to her for years now.

-One Week Prior-

Maria folded the letter into thirds and put it back in it's envelope. Liberty. INDEFINITE Liberty. She wasn't allowed to return to the front again, not after the whole 'tenth man down' incident. They'd called it that after her tenth victim's death. Eleven, if you count Annette, but that really wasn't Maria's fault. That was a really freaky series of coincidences she told herself.

Departing from the bus she sighed a sigh of mixed emotions. Half of her was relieved that her military career was finally over, but the other half was angry that she had to relax and do what normal people do. She remembered all-to-well what 'idle hands' had done to her in the past. Done to Gale. The apartment complex was a weary sight to the tired warrior. It was where Safiria and her had made their home in the metropolis known as Babylon.

Climbing the stairs slowly, Maria listened to the clumping of her boots against the wood. How long would this last? She knew the definition of 'indefinite', she wasn't that dense, but she wanted to know how long she'd have to wait before they forgot... she really wanted to get back into the fray. Opening the door to her apartment, she entered.

"Maria? Is that you?" Safiria's voice came from another room.

"Yea, it's me." The tired soldier answered in a grunting voice. Safiria came from the kitchen in a black robe and a putrid-yellow colored house dress which clashed horribly with her dark raven hair, and gave Maria a hug.

"So how long are you home for?" Maria held up the letter to Safiria, who took it and read it. Once. Twice. Three times. "Dishonorable Discharge?" Safiria questioned, reading words which weren't there.

"It's Indefinite Liberty, Safiria, not Dishonorable Discharge." Maria corrected her.

"Oh, same thing. Come on, dinner's ready." She motioned Maria into the dining room, the ragged green-haired woman dragging herself to follow. The moment they got to the table, Safiria's entire attitude changed. "Dishonorable Discharge, Maria? AGAIN? That's the third time in three hundred years! What the HELL are you doing to get kicked out of the military THREE times?" Maria used her index finger to pull the morning's paper towards her. She read aloud the front headline.

" 'Hero of Labryanna found Not Guilty on ten charges of murder.'" Maria chuckled to herself. "Ah, Labryanna..."

"Maria..." Safiria muttered, looking at her love. "You didn't..." Maria smiled as she poured herself a glass of water. "Maria... talk to me... that wasn't you, was it?"

"Yep." She replied rather simply.

"Why?" Maria simply shrugged.

"They were tired and weak. They would have slowed me down."

"MARIA! You killed those people! They were INNOCENT!"

"Innocence is a lie. I was 'innocent' once too, remember? Then shit happened, and boom. Here I am."

"This isn't about you, Maria, it's about ten lives you needlessly ended..." Safiria sounded almost as if she was to cry. Maria sat at the table and started eating, not even looking at Safiria. The Vampire frowned and took a few steps into the bathroom.

-Inside-

Safiria shut the door behind her and stared at her reflection in the mirror, trying to make sense of everything that had just happened. Who was Maria? Who had she become? What did she loose over these years? She didn't really want to think about it. Her hands trembled on the sink as she looked at the red eyes staring back at her. Clenching her putrid colored house dress over where her heart was, she felt it gently throb in her chest. It had only recently started beating again being around Maria. It was...

Finding new meaning in the events of the past few minutes, Safiria re-emerged from the restroom, fire in her eyes.

"Maria." Safiria stated softly but sternly. "I have a question." As she continued, her heart skipped a few throbs. Maria grunted. "Do you still love me? I mean, like you did the night we met?" Maria looked up from her food, genuinely looking at Safiria.

"Of course I do, Safiria. That's a silly question to ask. Why?" Safiria frowned, and put her hand once more where her heart was. The beating had slowed. It was as she feared.

"Maria..." She took a few steps closer, pushed the table away, pulled the house dress up almost to her hips and sat on Maria's lap. Her lover looked away slightly. "Look at me, Maria." She did. Safiria took Maria's left hand and placed it to her chest. "Do you feel that? That beating in my chest?"

"Yes." Maria stated simply.

"That's my heart, Maria. I never said this, but it only started beating again twenty years ago... Do you know what day?" Maria shook her head, more concerned about the food then anything else. "Twenty Years ago... tomorrow... the last time we made love... do you remember?" Maria nodded slightly. "Twenty years, Maria. It's too long..." Maria tried to pull her hand away, but Safiria wouldn't let go. "Maria, I want you to look me in the eyes, and tell me you love me." A pause. "Maria... please..."

"Safiria..." Safiria's grip on Maria's hand only tightened. "Safiria, I love you with every ounce of everything I am. I would conquer every country on this planet if it would satisfy you. You know that." The beating in Safiria's chest slowed a bit more, tears coming to her eyes. Unseating herself from Maria's lap, Safiria quickly and discretely wiped a tear away. Maria stood, and put a hand on Safiria's shoulder. "What's wrong?" As the Vampire turned around, her make up was running, creating lines down her face, distorted by tears. "Safiria...?"

"Maria... I want to be honest with you, because one of us has to." She blurted. "Maria, honestly, I don't think you DO. I think you stopped loving me years ago... Honestly, I think the only thing you love anymore is to kill." Safiria put her hands behind her back.

"Safiria, you know that-"

"Don't interrupt, Maria... Please..." She inhaled deeply. "Maria... I don't know what to believe from you, anymore. You lie to your friends, you lie to your superiors, you lie to yourself... How do I know you're not lying to me?" The beating slowed once more. "Fifteen hundred years ago, you ignited a spark in my heart which has kept me going for all these years! All this time, Maria, I have wanted so much to follow the fate of the rest of my breathern, drifting off into legend, our names becoming spoiled by poor adaptations and... and glitter!" A few tears formed around her eyes. "But I didn't... I renounced what I am... what I was BORN as... just to spend eternity with you. I knew it would be hard, how we would live day to day, trying to survive just that much longer... but you know what... when Rayne died... when Lizzie died... I told myself that times were changing. People were dying. And I accepted that as a fact! But one thing I always knew in my heart. You were never going to leave me. You'd stay just the way you were, just the way you ARE forever. Beside me forever." She wiped another tear away.

"But Maria... anymore... I don't think that's true. I don't know if you're beside me.. or standing above me with a shovel, ready to close the coffin. As a matter of fact... even looking at you, I can tell you don't love me. You don't even love yourself. I don't think you'd..." She pulled a foot-long carving knife from the counter behind her and pressed it to her own throat. "I don't think you'd care if I just slit my own throat right now."

Maria froze. She wasn't afraid of what Safira might do. She wasn't sad that what she said might be true. She wasn't angry with Safiria for thinking this. She was afraid Safiria was right. She was sad that what she had been thinking was so obvious. She was angry at herself for letting her love die.

"Maria... I don't want to do this... but I don't know any other way. We've had a long run... But maybe... maybe it's time to stop." Raising her left hand, she removed her wedding ring slowly. The moment the ring was no longer in contact with Safiria's finger, her heart stopped beating and, some say, her reason to continue living ended too.

Placing the ring on the counter, she took the apron off and walked out into the dying sunlight. Maria stayed strong-faced through the entire ordeal. "_Safiria, let's stop this talk of who deserves who and whatnot._" Echoed in her head, a sliver from centuries ago. "_Tomorrow we'll be married, and I promise to take care of you._" As Maria watched the figure of Safiria walk down the street, she tried to hold back long-dead emotions. "_From the moment we said our vows, you became Safiria Despair._" The voices echoed once more, cackling at the situation. "_And I promise I will always take care of you._"

"Promises. Forever. Vows. Marriage. Artix was wrong. Why did I have to be so blind." Another sliver of the past emerged from her mind.

"_Maria. Listen, I wanna talk to you._" Artix Krieger's voice appeared, crisp and clear as if he were standing beside her. "_There's a reason I let you get married. I don't do that for everyone. I did it because I know that, if anyone can stay happy for as long as I know you'll live, it's you. Just do me a favor, Maria, okay?_" Maria remembered nodding here, and the crisp voice of Artix continued. "_Times will be tough. I won't always be here. Battleon will change, but with you in it. It can only change for the better. Maria Despair, you're a powerful woman, and you can do anything. Now get out of here. You've got forever waiting for you._"

Maria suppressed the urge to chase after her, thinking about the events that transpired. Why did they all have to die? Why? Why do people die? Because they have to? Because someone's got a sick sense of humor? Maria shook her head. She'll be back. And if she's not, she'd go looking for her in a day.

-The next morning-

Maria awoke the next morning, alone, just as she had fallen asleep. The years had robbed her f the ability to cry or be outwardly sad, but inside, she sobbed all day. Maria couldn't even bring herself to get out of bed until noon.

Dragging herself towards the counter, she touched the ring. Images of the past flooded her mid. She saw faces, smiling faces. One was of a young-looking woman in pure white Guardian Armor, smiling next to a pale-faced, raven-haired beauty, a young mage presiding over some ceremony. Clenching the ring in her hand, she bellowed aloud, crying out to Safiria.

As with everything, she wouldn't realize how wrong she was, until she was too wrong to turn right.

-Present Day-

"In the name of the father, the son, and of the holy ghost... amen." The preacher finished, closing the book, and the prayer. Maria stifled a tear. Safiria had so few friends... but the ones she did attended. Two of her closer friends grabbed shovels, and began to dig into the pile of dirt.

A broken heart, they had told her. Physically there was nothing wrong with her. "She just gave up the will to live." The doctor said, covering her up. "Did you know her?"

"No." Maria muttered, putting a hand on hers. "No... I didn't." She lied again. It was Maria's lie that killed her. She was right. People don't matter to her any more. Kill count and blood. That's all Maria cared about. As the two men began to fill the hole in, Maria produced Safiria's ring from her pocket. She took a few tentative steps towards the grave. Opening her dry, mouth, words she spoke long ago returned.

"Always. And forever. My love will never fade. Even if I die. I will love you in death, as you love me in death." Holding her closed hand over the grave, she stifled another tear. She opened her hand and watched the ring fall slowly into the grave, becoming covered in dirt instantly.

-Later-

The dirt still fresh under her knees, Maria knelt before the grave, the rain still hammering at her head. She stared at the grave stone, appalled at how horrible it was. The only thing they put on it was 'Safiria Despair'. Nothing more, nothing less. Bringing a closed fist to her mouth, Maria kissed it, and opened her hand to the headstone, dust caught by the wind, splashing against the stone.

"There." Maria managed a weak smile. "Now I'll never forget. No one will." As Maria stood, more words formed on the headstone. The old headstone was clear, replaced by one of Maria's own design. This is how it read. "Queen Safiria Despair; Queen of the Vampires. Loved by Maria Despair. Killed in 2XX4 by Maria Despair. Killed by a lie."

"Paxia." Maria muttered to herself. "I'm coming for you."

Author's Note: I'M BA-ACK! So, what do you think? Intense, huh? Don't worry, As Time Goes By isn't done. Poor Safiria is, though. I know, I know, I'm a bastard. So what. I had to solidify how wretched Maria's become. Oh, and... uh... it's not gonna get cheerier. No rainbow at the end of this story, sorry.


	12. Have I Lost My Mind P1

Disclaimer: I don't own t.A.T.u. "All The Things She Said" is from t.A.T.u's album "200KPH in the Wrong Lane".

Author's Note: I don't do this. I have NEVER put a Songfic in with a regular fiction before in my LIFE and most would consider it taboo to do so. But I don't care. See, this chapter is just too good for me to make into a separate story. If this makes you even sniffle a little in sympathy for Maria, then my job is complete. If you smile at the ending, then my job is complete. If you cry out to the new female character not to do it, my job is complete. If you walk away with a different opinion of ATGB Maria, my job is most certainly complete.

Have I Lost My Mind: Part One

Eleven

Maria sat in silence at the bar, a drink in her hand, a tone-deaf idiot on the Karaoke machine on the stage singing a Paxian version of 'I Got You Babe', which positively made Maria want to strangle him something fierce. He was only two verses in, and Maria was hurrying to finish her drink so she could chuck the glass at him. Just as he was about to start the third verse, Maria did just that, lobbing the glass hard enough to peg him square in the forehead and shatter, knocking him down.

"Get off the stage, you tone-deaf fuck!" She shouted as a second blow. He scrambled to his feet, dropped the mic and did just that, nursing the cut in his forehead. Maria got a few rounds of applause for her dramatic rescue from Music-Induced Hell. "Swear to god if another person gets up there, I'm gonna throw a chair next." From beside Maria, a young girl with fire-red hair and a certain fire in her eyes did just that, stood, and walked tot he Karaoke machine. Rolling her eyes, Maria grabbed the back of her chair and waited for her to start. She took up the mic and cleared her throat.

"This goes out to all those poor souls who've had their hearts broken and scattered. You're not alone." Maria's grip on the chair loosened some. Clearing her throat, she powered the machine up and got the correct song cued up. It was a slightly mellow tune with a rock undertone. She began singing, her voice not tone-deaf at all, contrary to what Maria had been listening to for the past six hours. She had a sweet, innocent voice. The song she sang pierced her to the core.

"_All the things she said, (all the things she said), runnin' through my head, runnin' through my head, (runnin' through my head)..._" Her voice seemed to bounce from the walls, calming everyone in the room, even Maria. Putting her chair back, Maria took her seat, her back to the woman on the stage. "_All the things she said, (all the things she said), runnin' through my head, runnin' thorugh my head, (runnin' through my head)._" Swirling her next drink around, Maria tried to ignore the music. "_This is not enough!"_ She continued, closing her eyes, getting into what she was singing. Her voice dropped some. "_I'm in serious shit, I feel totally lost;_" The girl continued. "_If I'm asking for help, it's only because;_ _being with you, has opened my eyes." _The barkeeper stared with a lost expression at the redhead. "_Could I ever believe, such a perfect surprise?_"Then, the strangest of things happened. Maria _remembered_.

-Darkovia. 1500 Years In The Past-

Maria was standing once more before Queen Safiria's grand castle, her Guardian Blade dug into the ground. Seconds later as a gust of wind played with her hair, the door opened before her, the visage of her dead lover standing as alive as she ever was. They spoke, exchanging unheard words as the woman's song pierced any sound. "_I keep asking myself, wondering how; I keep closing my eyes, but I can't block you out._" As Maria stepped forward, she quickly found herself an observer in her own body, as the physical Maria carried the unconscious Vampire up a flight of stair to a room. Placing her on the bed, Maria smiled. "_I wanna fly to a place, where it's just you and me; no body else, so we can be free._" Maria watched again as the time-trapped lovers kissed for the first time and, as it felt to Maria, the last time.

-Present Day-

Maria looked down at her drink, which was now starting to blur. She wasn't drunk, she was too old to be affected by something so stupid as alcohol. No, this was something far worse. Running the back of her hand across her eyes, she banished the tears. No crying Maria, she thought. You don't have any more tears. Hazarding a look over her shoulder at the woman at the stage, she was shocked to see that all the other patrons were staring in awe at her, almost enthralled by the song. "_Nobody else so we can be free... nobody else so we can be free..._" Her words echoed according to the song.

"_All the things she said, (all the things she said), runnin' through my head, runnin' through my head, (runnin' through my head)._" The chorus began again. Maria continued to stare at her drink as the chorus repeated. "_This is not enough!_" She called passionately. "_Ya soshla S Uma-Ma!_" She called in an alien tongue. The song broke into an instrumental, and the strangest thing happened. Not only did the memories come back, but so did the words.

-Battleon. 1500 Years Ago.-

Maria burst through the doors of the castle. The news she was brought was grave. Safiria was in danger, and Maria rushed to her aid. Standing at the end of the hall was a tall man with a knife to Safiria's neck.

"Safiria!" Maria called out dramatically, trying to scare the man. He only smiled.

"So glad you could make it! I knew it was only a matter of time before the great Maria Despair revealed herself. You're so hard to get ahold of."

"Who are you!?" She shouted, hand gripping her Blade of Awe. The man cackled.

"My name's not important. All that is; is that you're going to die. Here and now."

"I'll make you a deal. You let her go, and I let you live. But I'd hurry. My patience is thin."

"I don't make deals with traitors."

"Traitors?" She recognized the voice now. And the body. It was a voice from her past. "I'm no traitor!"

"That you know of..." The scene faded from Maria's mind as the man stepped into the light.

-Present Day-

Maria continued to stare into the amber abyss in her glass, trying desperately to shut out the song playing behind her. This woman... who was she? How is it she could bring back so many memories... both painful and happy... with one song? "_And I'm all mixed up, feeling cornered and rushed; They say it's my fault, but I want her so much._" From her long-dead eyes, warm, salty water flowed freely, and without regression. More memories washed over her mind. The faces of her friends came back, flashing one after another in her mind, followed by their grisly deaths. Rayne; shot dead were she stood. Lizzie; hung in a Drakel City. Wolfblitzer; killed by a twelve hundred ton tower collapsing. Artix, Felix, Aria, Trip... their lives so short, and so brutally ended."_Wanna fly her away where the sun and rain; Come in over my face, wash away all the shame._" Releasing the glass, Maria spun slowly on her chair, eventually facing the woman. Even from this distance, she could the woman was crying. Just like Maria. "_When they stop and stare – don't worry me. 'Cause I'm feeling for her, what she's feeling for me._" Several men from the pool tables began to gather around the stage, staring in awe at the woman. Maria, herself couldn't help but stare. "_I can try to pretend, I can try to forget,_" Maria took out her own wedding ring, one she kept on her, but hasn't worn since Safiria's death. Looking over it, she realized something she was blind to. "_But it's driving me mad, going out of my head!_"

This girl... this woman. She wasn't singing for herself. She wasn't singing for everyone here. She was not singing for entertainment, if she was, why choose such a song? She wasn't singing. She was crying for help. To Maria. This was a plead for help. This song was too coincidental for her liking. Maria didn't even hear her repeat the chorus twice more, she just stared at the ring, words flooding her mind. "I love you.". "Don't worry, kitten. You worry too much.". "Hey Maria! Don't die!". Quickly, Maria wiped the tears away from her eyes, hiding the ring.

"_Mother – lookin' at me. Tell me – What do you see? Yes, I've lost my mind._" Maria had few memories of her mother, but the one she held was of the time she left home. "It's a dangerous world out there Maria, but I'd be out of my mind if I didn't think you could handle it." were her words.

"_Daddy – Lookin' at me. Will I – ever be free? Have I crossed the line!_" Maria remembered her father, the one who always believed she would be great in this world. "Don't worry, honey." He had said. "The spirit of your namesake will carry you. You're destined for greatness, sweety. There will be no line you cannot cross, no challenge you cannot overcome. Not with will and determination."

The woman repeated the chorus two final times, and it was those last times where the most powerful motivator appeared. Maria found herself standing before Maria. The mirror image of Maria looked her in the eye. The words it spoke struck her hard.

"Murderer." This word echoed off non-existant walls. It was true. Maria had forgotten her roots. She had become a murderer. Plain and simple. She had killed Safiria. The only person ever to love her for who she was. Centuries of angst tsunamied back to the front of her mind. From the back of the bar, the image of Maria Despair, the stalwart, unmovable object bolted for her seat, charged towards the stage, tracers of tears in her wake, leapt the three foot height difference between the floor and stage, and wrapped the woman on stage in a hug she'd never thought she'd find. The redhead smiled, and allowed the soldier to cry all she wanted.

Ending Author's Note: Who is this mysterious singer? Who can so easily pull the heartstrings of man like the controlling stick of some puppet? Who could reduce this soldier, hardened over a millenia and a half of combat into a bumbling, crying idiot? Find out in the next thrilling chapter of: AS TIME GOES BY!

Ending Author's Note 2: I'll be handing out Jaw Jacks for the next chapter, so you can jack your jaw up off the floor and back into place. You'll never guess who this girl is.


	13. Have I Lost My Mind P2

Author's Note: This is part 2 of "Have I Lost My Mind." Be sure to pick up your Xero10 Issue Jaw Jack from our concession stand before reading this chapter of As Time Goes By. Xero10 Brand Jaw Jack! If it's not a XeroX, it's a fake!

Have I Lost My Mind: Part 2

Twelve

Putting down the microphone, the young redhead helped the crying Maria back to her seat at the bar. She smiled to all the patrons who were slowly coming out of their song-induced stupor. Sitting Maria back down, the woman spoke.

"Hey... are you okay?" Maria stiffled one last tear and nodded.

"Yea... I'll be okay. You're song just – Well, it brought back some memories I had tried so hard to forget..."

"I'm sorry, I-" The woman spoke.

"No, don't. You've – Helped me. I had tried so hard to forget them, I had forgotten who I was in the process." The other woman smiled, rubbing Maria's back. The soldier forced a smile. "I'm Maria, by the way... Maria Despair." The redhead turned to face the bar.

"Maria... nice name." She raised her hand, calling for another drink. "What are you drinking?"

"Another one fifty one, Sam. And whatever the lady is having, it's on me." Maria told the husky bartender, who nodded.

"You're drinking one fifty one proof? Crap, you must have a stomach of steel..." Maria chuckled a little at the comment. The truth of the matter was 151 made her absolutely sick, but it helped her forget. "I'll have a rum and cola, please."

"So, tell me. You know my name, but I don't know yours. What pretty name goes with such a pretty face?" The woman grinned a sadistic grin

"My name I tell no one."

"Ooh. Mysterious. I like it." Maria cackled some, nodding to Sam as he handed the ladies their drinks.

"I'd tell you to be careful, that 151 has the kick of a Desert Eagle, but considering that's your eighth... I don't think you'll be conscious long." Maria took the shotglass and raised it to the girl.

"Cheers." Maria spoke, toasting the girl with the red hair. "To two lonely woman with nothing to do on a Saturday night." The pair drunk, Maria downing the glass in one slug. "So, why don't you want to tell me your name? Is it silly?"

"No... it's weird. Everyone always makes fun of my name... so I stop telling people. Maybe if I can be sure you won't laugh at me, I'll tell you."

"Fair enough. So, what brings you to Babylon?" The redhead thought about the question for a bit, before answering.

"Escape." She answered, taking a small sip of the beverage. "My dad was a... well, he was a few bolts short of a box, if you know what I mean. And I'm not talkin' 'a few'. I mean a few DOZEN. He was hell-bent that some.. ancient space empire was going to return to Lore to rend the population to dust, or some bull like that. Like I said, a nut job."

"Sounds like an interesting enough fellow to have at parties, though. All the wild story telling." The woman smiled through the mouthful of rum and cola, holding it in her mouth. Swallowing the drink she agreed.

"Yea, dad's stories were the talk of the town. Not always in the good sense, however."

"So... I have a rather personal question." Maria asked.

"I'll see if I want to answer it."

"Why that song? Why did you sing, of all the songs in the world, that one?" The woman swirled the drink in the glass, staring at the ensuing typhoon.

"You look hurt. You looked like you needed... something to remember with." She replied. "I was trying to cheer you up, or at least make you smile. I guess I did. In a way." The woman looked at her watch. "Two hours..."

"Two hours until what?" Maria questioned, looking at her own shot glass, internally debating whether to break the Guinness World Record for 151 Proof Whiskey Consumption, and go for ten, or to stop. She chose to stop, and not look conspicuous.

"Until my birthday. I'll be nineteen in two hours." She responded.

"Well, isn't that great! My birthday's past, already."

"When was it?"

"Feburary Sixteenth. It was a Wednesday."

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen." Maria replied, lying fat lies through her teeth.

"Well, that practically makes us twins! I'm surprised we've not met before. Where are you from?" Maria turned the last shot glass upside down and stacked it with the others, with perfect stability in her hand.

"Frostvale." Maria responded. This one wasn't a lie. Maria was born in the Frostvale area. The woman giggled a little.

"Frostvale! Are you serious?" She asked through the laughter.

"Yea. Why?"

"You're a Popsicle. Do people call you that? Popsicle?"

"All the time." Maria responded, raising her hand to the bartender.

"You can't possibly want another one." Sam, the bartender groaned.

"No, Sam. I'd like some water, if you've got it back there."

"Sure thing, Maria." Sam went to the back.

"So... question." Maria droned again, turning to face the woman.

"You're full of them tonight, aren't you?"

"Guilty." The woman urged Maria on. "You still get presents for your birthday?"

"Occasionally. Never got the one I wanted, though. Not like it was a big surprise. My dad sent me a check for my birthday a couple days ago. Two hundred credits. Not much, but it'll pay the rent this month."

"Where do you live?"

"In some crappy apartment complex on eighth. Leaky toilet, corroded shower head, and no reception, but it's a roof. And it's cheap. You?"

"You don't want to know." Maria responded, watching Sam come back with her water.

"Why's that."

"Make you jealous." Maria smiled sweetly at Sam, giving him a twenty credit note. He took it, giving her a salute in return.

"Try me."

"Okay." Maria replied. "I live on the outskirts of the town, it's a small condo complex. The expensive ones."

"Wow. How'd you afford that?" Maria drank half the water glass, swirling what was left around at the bottom.

"Life Insurance check." She muttered, not looking at the woman. The redhead looked downcast.

"I'm sorry..."

"No need. It felt like she was dead to me for a long time..."

"Sister? Mother?" The woman fished around.

"No... closer..."

"Oh... you're a..." Maria nodded. "I see..."

"You're not disgusted by the thought?" The woman let out a loud 'pah', and took another sip of her drink.

"Quite contrary. I agree with you. Men are egotistical, self-centered pigs."

"Why so harsh?" Maria questioned, looking at the woman intently. She stared at what was left of her rum and cola, and answered in a dull, monotonous voice.

"In the past seventeen months, I've had three boyfriends. All said they'd 'love me forever'. That should have been a red flag..." She changed her voice to a deep chesty tone. "'Ah, come on, baby, I only ever dream of you!'" She returned her voice to normal. "Yea... on my back, naked, legs in the air..." She took another long drink, holding the last gulp between her cheeks.

"You sound like you've had a long, rough ride."

"My first boyfriend ignored me. Spent six weeks trying to appeal to his gentle side, get him to talk to me for just one second... only time he ever seemed interested in talking to me was when he wanted to screw me..." Another drink. "My second boyfriend skipped the asking to screw me phase and jumped right to it. Broke into my room at night, tied me down, and tried to go to town. Thank god dad heard me screaming. Came bursting in like a bat outta hell, and laid a beat down on him so hard, I felt it." Another drink. Maria felt a pang of sympathy for this girl. "And my third boyfriend. Ugh, he was the worst."

"Even past rape?"

"Even past rape. This guy was an absolute angel to me. Called me up daily to talk, never tried to push anything on me. Called me beautiful, angel... all those sweet things." She smiled a little. "Until our fifth date. We were running an hour or so late, and we were on our way back from the movies. We were stopped by a gorilla hiding behind a shotgun. I've never been so scared in my life... All he wanted was his watch. A watch! What does this asshole do? Pushes me towards him, and runs! He valued a stupid, fifteen credit WATCH more then me! Can you believe that?" Another, longer drink. The beverage was gone by this point.

"What did you do?"

"Shot him in the face."

"Pepper Spray?" Maria asked. The woman laughed a cold, almost echoing laugh.

"I started carrying a .356 Magnum in my purse since my second boyfriend. I repainted the street with his brains." Maria smiled approvingly.

"I think I read about that." Maria responded, remembering rather vividly the headline. "No one knew who did it."

"And it'll stay that way, I hope."

"Of course."

"You know... you're not such a bad person. Maybe... maybe I can tell you my name." The woman resided, putting the glass down. She turned to face Maria, and put her hand out. "I'm Gravelyn."

"Gravelyn?" Maria asked. "Pretty name." She shook Gravelyn's hand.

"Stop lying. It's weird."

"But unique." Maria answered.

"That's what dad said. Wacko told me he wanted his little girl to grow up and make a name for herself, and to do that, she had to stand out! So... when I was seven, he just started calling me Gravelyn. Like I said... dad was nuts. When I was five, he even had his own name legally changed."

"To what?"

"Sepulcher, of all things."

"Sepulcher?" Maria tittered some, but recovered. "Like the tomb?"

"Like the tomb."

"Do you have a last name?" Maria asked, finishing her water.

"Nope. It's just Gravelyn. Of course, I don't need a last name for people to butcher. They have enough to do with my first. I've heard it all. Grave-lyn... Gravy... Gaylyn..." She scoffed. "I just want people to see! It's GRAVELYN. Like gravel."

"Well, I think Gravelyn's a very pretty name. Pretty, unique, and one to love." Gravelyn gave a snide look to Maria.

"See, that's what I like about women. They're not so obvious when they lie."

"What makes you think I'm lying?"

"Admit it! You think my name's dorky! Gawd, I never should have told you."

"Okay, now you're being self-defeatist. Why can't you, for one second, say I'm not lying?" Gravelyn went eerie quiet. She muttered something to quiet to hear. "I'm sorry?"

"Nothing..."

"What do your friends say?"

"I don't have any."

"What?! No friends? Bullshit."

"Nope. I have no friends." Gravelyn continued. "Remember in school, there was that one creepy girl no one ever talked to? The one who ate lunch alone, the one who studied alone, the one everyone avoided?" Maria nodded. "I was that girl. I was that creepy girl. That's what they called me 'Gravelyn the Creepy'. It was like some... horrible title they gave me."

"Kids can be mean. Hell, even us adults can be mean if we want to. But, Gravelyn... listen. I'm not lying." Gravelyn looked at Maria through the corner of one eye.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. Let me prove it to you. What do you want for your birthday. What do you REALLY want for your birthday?" Gravelyn thought for a moment.

"Well I always... no... it's dumb."

"It's not dumb. Tell me."

"Since I was a little girl..." The redhead answered quickly. "I always wanted to... I always wanted to live forever." Maria quirked her eyebrow. "I know, it's silly." Maria looked back at the bar.

"Living forever isn't such a blessing as you may think."

"Oh? And how's that?"

"You stay exactly how you are... and watch your friends wither and die. Your family decays to rubble in the course of moments. You watch time fly by, and remain trapped outside of it. It's maddening."

"You sound like you know from first-hand experience." Maria stayed quiet, choosing her words very carefully.

"I've read some books."

"Well, it doesn't matter. I've got no one left, anyway."

"What about your father? Doesn't he still miss you?"

"Dad died yesterday. Heart trouble."

"Oh..." Maria physically recoiled. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"So, you've seriously got no one left?"

"Nope." Gravelyn answered. "Mother died just after I was born. I think dad kind of blamed me for her death..." Gravelyn looked at her watch. "Another hour and a half."

"You done with your drink?" Gravelyn nodded. "Come with me."

"Where?" Maria put her hand out.

"My place. You can have a nice place to sleep tonight. And I may just have a birthday present lined up for you."

"Get outta here..." Gravelyn muttered. "Are you serious?" Maria answered by flicking her fingers up some, giving the international 'come on' signal. Gravelyn smiled broadly, taking Maria's hand. "You up to driving?"

"Please. Alcohol doesn't work on me. I'm more sober then half the people in Babylon..." The pair left the bar.

-In The Car.-

"So, what's this about Immortality?" Maria started.

"I dunno... I guess it was a childish dream. Retain my youth and beauty forever. I wanted to wake up one day, on my birthday, and have a sweet, beautiful voice whisper into my ear 'Happy Birthday, Gravelyn. Welcome to Eternity.'" Maria nodded. Gravelyn's hand migrated to Maria's leg. "Maria..."

"Hum?"

"Is it strange that... I find myself attracted to you?"

"No. I find a lot of people are."

"But... are a lot of women attracted to you?" Gravelyn suppressed a blush.

"More then you know."

"I don't know what it is... but I feel safe... relaxed around you..."

"It's because you've allowed yourself to trust me. You've been shut off from the population so long, you've set up a wall which won't let you trust people. You let me past that wall, and you see now how nice some people can be. You just have to find the right people."

"I guess..."

The car ride lasted a good hour as Maria drove through the massive city of Babylon, Gravelyn asleep at this time. Upon arriving, Maria put the car in park and gave Gravelyn a little shake.

"Gravelyn. We're here." She jostled awake, looking around. The pair got out of the car and walked inside, the clock on the wall broadly declaring it eleven thirty two. "So, how do you want to spend your last twenty eight minutes as a kid?"

"Hate to be rude... but would you mind if I raided the refrigerator? I just realized I haven't eaten since I got up..."

"What? Why the hell not?"

"Remember when I said that the two hundred credits my dad sent me just before he died would cover the rent?" Maria nodded. "I meant it will JUST cover the rent... I've been rationing what I eat for the past three weeks..." Maria put a hand on Gravelyn's shoulder, pushing her into the kitchen, and to the fridge.

"You. Eat. Now." Maria muttered, going to the coffee pot. "You like coffee?"

"You bet. It's like cheap food!" Gravelyn replied, her face buried in the fridge. Maria quickly whipped up a pot, and sat on the couch.

Gravelyn had her pseudo dinner finished in a record twelve minutes, joining Maria on the couch.

"Oh... that was good. I don't think I've eaten that well since I left home..." She burped rather loudly. "Sorry..."

"Quite alright. You know... you can't live like that... questioning where, if when, your next mean is coming, living paycheck to paycheck, scrounging only enough to pay the rent. You need a break."

"Do I have a choice? I work at The Sizzler, earning six fifty an hour. I work three days a week, for six hours a day. I can't get a better job, and my manager refuses to give me more hours... It's not like someone's gonna come up and say-"

"Why don't you move in with me?" The pair said in a creepily-timed chorus.

"Yea. No one's gonna ask me that."

"No... why don't you move in with me?" Maria stated again. Gravelyn executed a rather perfect double-take.

"I'm sorry?"

"I have a room, and I make plenty to feed both of us. The toilet doesn't leak and the shower head works perfectly. What do you say?"

"Oh, I couldn't! I couldn't burden you like that!"

"Nonsense. It would be as much a blessing for me, as it would for you. What do you say?"

"Well..." Gravelyn smiled sheepishly. "Are you sure?"

"I never ask unless I am."

"I don't know what to say! I... Okay!" She grinned broadly, giving Maria a hug. The green-haired woman smiled at the redhead. "Thank you so much... I think you just saved my life..."

"However, there is one catch..." Gravelyn's face drained of color. "If you accept, you have to spend the last ten minutes of the day dancing with me."

"Oh... well, I suppose..." Gravelyn looked about. "I don't really know how to dance..."

"It's okay. Just follow me lead..." Maria put a soft, slow song on, and the pair began. Gravelyn wasn't the best dance partner Maria had ever had, but she wasn't the worst she'd had before, either. Maria watched the clock like a hawk as midnight slowly approached. Putting her head close to Gravelyn's neck, she sniffed. "You smell fantastic..." Gravelyn's cheeks exploded into a deep crimson.

"Oh... thank you..." Maria rested her head on the redhead's shoulder, the minute hand hugging the midnight mark, threatening to pounce on top of it. Maria waited.

"So... are you ready for your present, Gravelyn?" Maria waited.

"I suppose..."

Click. Midnight. Closing her eyes, Maria whispered to Gravelyn.

"Happy Birthday, Gravelyn. Welcome to Eternity." The redhead's eyes widened as two sharp pricks pierced her neck. The woman went limp in Maria's arms. The song slowed to a stop as Gravelyn's heart slowed... and eventually stopped itself.

Ending Author's Note: Wakka Wakka! It was GRAVELYN! Surprised? Or was I too obvious? Is Gravelyn dead? Yes. And no. You'll have to see.

Ending Author's Note 2: Please return all Xero10 Brand Jaw Jacks to the concession stand when your jaw has been firmly re-afixed to your skull.

Ending Author's Note 3: When Gravelyn said Grave-lyn, it's supposed to be pronounced as Grave, like the thing you put dead people in. And when she said GRAVELYN it's pronounced like Gravel. I always preferred the Gravel pronunciation to the Grave one.


	14. Have I Lost My Mind P3

Author's Note: Last part of the "Have I Lost My Mind" chapter. I hope you all enjoyed last chapter, because I gave myself Carpel Tunnel bringing it to you. If you've never had it, keep it like that. It hurts like nothing you've ever had.

Author's Warning: There is a lot of puking in this chapter. I mean... a lot a lot. Very vague descriptions of vomiting too. If that kinda things makes you squeamish, you have been warned.

Have I Lost My Mind: Part Three

Thirteen

Maria sat on the couch, visibly shaking. She had her elbow propped up against her knee, and her head was resting on the connected hand. Was that really the right thing to do? Force something this crippling onto such a young girl? Either way, she couldn't go back now. It was too late. Not even she, with all the powers she had, could turn back time. She had committed to this course of action, and was now unable to turn away. Gravelyn was lying on the recliner a few feet away, eyes closed. To the unsuspecting eye, she would appear dead, which, given the circumstances, was a fairly accurate assumption. However, even staring at her from the couch, Maria could see her chest rising and falling ever so slightly, oxygen being supplied to her system as any living person would have.

It's been three days since Maria bit her. Three long, excruciatingly painful days of waiting, wondering, and worrying. Was she going to come out of her trance? Did Maria do everything she should have? It was only a day and a half that Maria was out when Safiria did the same to her... but... comparing herself to Gravelyn wasn't really fair on Gravelyn... now was it? If it wasn't bad enough Maria drained practically every ounce of blood from the redhead's body, but she saw fit to rifle through her personals as well, finding the name of her apartment complex. She had called them up the previous day to inform them that Gravelyn was dead, and to send all of her apparel to a drop box for pickup, which Maria already retrieved and placed in the spare bedroom.

Suddenly, the room became very cold, as if every newton of heat had been drained from the room.

"This girl..." Maria looked behind her, the cloaked figure of Death all too familiar to her. "This girl... makes you happy?" A eerie, hallow chuckle escaped his skull. "Maria... happy? Who are you and what have you done with my Miserable Maria?"

"Bugger off, Death." Maria muttered, turning back to Gravelyn. "This isn't about you."

"Oh, but it is." He walked around Maria, scythe in hand, and crouched next to the unconcious redhead. "See... if she makes you happy, then I'll have to get rid of her. We can't have you happy with your torture, now can we?"

"Don't bother. Can't you see anything from the past fifteen hundred years?" If Death had eyebrows, one would have been quirked to Maria.

"What'choo talkin' 'bout, Maria?" He asked, tossing his scythe into his other hand.

"When I first met Safiria, I couldn't have asked for a happier existence... We did practically everything together... even had a daughter..."

"You mean you adopted a daughter."

"Technicalities." Maria barked quickly, her gaze never breaking from Gravelyn. "The point I'm trying to make, Death, is that I was happy... was... being the operative word. The years went on and I got... bored of Safiria... same thing, year in, year out..." She sighed, head still on her hand. "Artix was right about one thing. It's okay to mess around, but... to be bogged down by one woman... or one man... it... grates, after a time. You come home every day to the same face."

"Is there a point to this, Maria, or do you just like the sound of your own voice?" Maria glared at Death, her red eyes piercing to his blackened soul. "Right... shutting up." Over the years, Maria found of the few powers she had, 'The Stare' was one she retained.

"The point, Death;" Maria stood, stretching, putting emphasis on 'point'. "Is that the way I see it, now that I've Embraced this little girl: and that's what she is Death, a CHILD. A child fresh from the safety of home. She trusted me, and I fear I've already betrayed that. Now that I've Embraced this little girl, she's bound to me as I was bound to Safiria for all those years. Her pain is mine, my pain is hers."

"So you're saying... that if I kill her..."

"You'd essentially be killing me. And we all know how much you love torturing me."

"Hum... I see you still have that Vampire Logic I can't hope to beat in a million years. Give me on good reason, and I spare her life."

"Because, Death. If you let her live; I figure I'll bore of her in another few hundred years, just like I bored of Safiria. Why spare me the torment?"

"Good point. Alright, Maria. You win. The girl lives." She stood and tossed his scythe into his other hand again. "I guess I'll leave you to your little slice of Eternity then, and return to mine. Au revoir." And in a wisp of smoke, he vanished. "Oh... by the way..." Death reappeared where he was standing. "She's waking up." Another wisp of smoke. Maria looked at Gravelyn, who was now holding her head.

"Oh... my head..." She sat up a little in the chair. "My neck... augh, my everything..." Her eyes blinked a few times, her gaze fixated on the ceiling. "Where the hell am I?"

"Still at my apartment." Maria groaned, answering the girl's question. Gravelyn's head tilted down to look at Maria. "Afternoon." She muttered as a weak greeting.

"How long have I been out?"

"Three days." Was the response as Maria took a drink from the glass on the table.

"Oh..." She muttered, rubbing her neck and temples. Maria held up three fingers, retracting them in sequence. When the last finger was retracted, Gravelyn reacted. "THREE DAYS?!" She blurted out. Maria nodded.

"Did I stutter?" She asked, taking another drink.

"What the hell did you do to me?" Gravelyn's hand instantly went to her crotch. "Did you-" Maria chuckled.

"Relax. Nothing like that. At least not until our second date." A coy smile crept across the vampire's mouth. Gravelyn stood up, a reaction Maria had not excepted, as she too bolted to a stand.

"What the HELL did you do to me?! Answer me!"

"I have every intention of telling you, Gravelyn, but you have to sit down and be calm, you could aggravate yourself." Maria tried to soothe her with a soft, mellow tone. It wasn't working.

"Fuck you! Fuck... Fuck EVERYONE!" She blurted, charging for the door, Maria a few steps behind her. The moment the redhead's hand touched the handle, Maria sounded.

"Fine, leave!" She started. "But if you do..." She put the drink on a ledge, holding a finger up. "If you walk out that door, Gravelyn, you continue life like normal. You can forget ever meeting me. But when dinner comes... you'll sit down to a nice, juicy steak, and dig in. The second that meat gets past your lips, and starts down your throat, you'll gag, spitting it right out. It'll taste like the most horrible thing you can imagine. You'll try a drink of water; maybe your throat is acting funny. But you'll puke that right up, too. Why? Why is this happening? No answer. Because I'll forget you ever exist. Walk out that door, and question which day is going to be your last. You can either walk out that door, and live your life in fear, or you can release the handle, and come to me. I'll explain everything."

Gravlyn paused for a good minute and a half, her hand still on the handle. Maria could see the gears turning in her head, her thought processes working their magic weighing the possible outcome of both choices. Gravelyn finally raised her head, looked Maria dead in the eyes, and delivered her response.

"Fuck off." Throwing the door open, Maria watched Gravelyn walk out into the dimmed street, illuminated only by street lamps. The door slowly swung closed.

"Well... I think she took it rather well." Death's voice came. Maria cracked a smile.

"According to plan."

"Plan!? That was your plan?" Death asked, motioning to the door. "Your childe just walked out the door into society! SOCIETY! Who knows what havoc she could wreak! Do you know what kind of paperwork that would cause for me!? I'll be up to my third vertebrae in work!"

"Aye, she would." Maria muttered, sitting back on the couch after retrieving her water. "She could wreak havoc on society Death. If she only knew what she was. Knowledge is power. Lack-thereof makes her no more dangerous then... well... then you."

"Oh, Har Har." Death scoffed, rolling his eye sockets.

-At That Time-

Gravelyn walked down the sidewalk, thinking about what had transpired. How had she been unconcious for the past three days? And more importantly... where could she get some grub around here? Her stomach roared in hunger, alerting several passer-bys to the fact. Sticking her hands in her pockets against the cold, Gravelyn shuddered. Her hand brushed against something in the depths of her left pocket and, upon removing it, discovered a two hundred credit note folded nicely where none had been before. A parting gift from that psycho Maria, maybe? Either way, gift or goof, Gravelyn had every intention of using this money for some food, and maybe a nice pair of shoes to replace the onces that were almost worn through the soles.

Coming to a Burger Palace, her stomach rumbled louder. It was no juicy steak, but she could really go for a burger right about now. She walked in and smiled to the guy at the counter who replied with a yawn and a nod. Placing her order, Gravelyn's stomach growled louder still.

"I'm sorry... I'm starving right now..." She apologized to the man at the counter, who dismissed it with an understanding smile. After reciving her meal, she took a seat and dug in without wasting precious time. She had never devoured a burger so fast in her life. She didn't even think she tasted it before it was in her stomach. And that's when the churning began. Deep inside her stomach, the meal it had just received churned and bubbled inside her. Something wasn't right. Stomach acid made it's way up her throat, carrying with it chunks of the meal she just ate. Her cheeks puffed as a hand clasped tight over her mouth. Restroom. Now.

Dashing from her seat to the restroom, she kicked the door open, jammed her head into the toilet, and releasing her hand, a beautiful mix of meat, bun, mustard, ketchup and lettuce spewed forth into the water. She coughed a few times, just to make sure there weren't going to be any more aftershocks. She felt better after vomiting, but her stomach growled again. She stood and composed herself, pulled a few lengths of toilet paper from the roll and wiped her mouth. She moved slowly to the sink and began running some water into the basin. Forming a cup with her hands, she washed the residual vomit from her mouth, swishing some inside to try to clear the inevitable Vomit Breath she no doubt had.

Writing the incident as eating too much too fast, she strode slowly back outside, where the young man behind the counter was staring at her.

"Sorry... I really had to go..." She lied, trying to pretend she had to use the restroom. Okay, Gravelyn. Slowly this time, she thought, sitting back down to her fries and cola. She took a couple of the fried potatoes and put them in her mouth, being sure to chew them and swallow slowly. The boy at the counter walked into the back for something, leaving Gravelyn alone. Which was good, because nearly the second the fries it her stomach, they began they're short trip back up. This one hit her a little more sudden, as she only had time to grab the bag her meal had come in to vomit in. This one wasn't so chunky and soupy, as it was only a few fries. Rolling the top of the bag closed, she stuffed the rancid bag into the trash can. This was not a good night.

Her eyes drifted to her soda. There was no WAY something liquid could aggravate her. She smiled as she took a sip from the cup, the liquid washing back into the cup from her gag. She tossed the cup into the can right on top of the bag, right at the same time the man came back. She smiled, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Her stomach growled again.

"Thank you for that. I feel much better now." She lied again. "You have a good night, okay?" She smiled to the boy. He offered a return smile and a salute. Gravelyn managed to keep her charade up until she was outside, to at which point, she vocalized exactly what she was thinking. "What the FUCK is wrong with me!?" She grasped her stomach with both hands. "I fed you, and you don't want it..." Her face paled from fear. "Is this how I'm going to die? Starved to death because I can't eat..." She groaned at the thought. "Not my ideal way to go..." Stumbling down the street, Gravelyn thought there must be some way she could get something to eat.

-One Week Later-

Maria sat on the couch, watching the evening news, as she had done for years. There came a knock at the door. Standing slowly and striding to the door, she smiled. She knew exactly who this was. Opening the door to reveal the gaunt, tortured face of Gravelyn, Maria said nothing, but simply offered her in.

"I don't understand it..." She groaned, sitting down. "I haven't been able to eat or drink anything for the past week... but I'm still alive... I can still move like I was energized... but I'm so hungry... what is happening to me?!" She pleaded, grabbing Maria's shoulders. Maria showed nothing on her face.

"I told you so. Nothing you eat, nothing you drink stays down, yes?" Gravelyn nodded weakly. "Have a seat." Maria shut the door behind her and offered Gravelyn a seat, while she went to the kitchen. "Tell me. What have you eaten? Or tried to."

"Burgers... salads... cheesecake... anything... I've tried everything, and nothing stays down! What is wrong with me?" Maria re-emerged from the kitchen with a soda bottle filled with a thick, red liquid. She placed it in front of the girl.

"Try this."

"Nothing I drink stays down, either..."

"Try it. It may work." She responded coolly. Opening the soda bottle, Gravelyn put it slowly to her lips, fearing the gag reflex which had befallen many other drinks. She tipped the plastic bottle ever so slightly, a few small drops running out down her throat. She swallowed and waited. "Wierd... I can keep this down and... it's delicious!" She wrapped her lips around the neck and started to chug it down. She didn't even bother coming up for air as she emptied the bottle, wiping a drop from her mouth and licking it. "Oh my... that was... filling... what..."

"Do you really want to know what it was?"

"Yes! I want to know what it was, and where I can get more!"

"Promise not to freak out?"

"Just tell me!"

"As to what it is, it's the most abundant liquid on Lore. As to where you get it, look around."

"What are you talking about?" Gravelyn's eyebrow quirked up some. "'The most abundant liquid on Lore'?" Maria smiled, pulling another bottle from a coat pocket.

"Want another?" Gravelyn nodded and practically snatched the bottle from her grasp. Maria timed her response. As the contents was half emptied into Gravelyn's throat, Maria spoke. "It's blood." Maria watched as Gravelyn practically spat the drink over herself and the table before her.

"BLOOD?!" The redhead blurted out.

"Did I stutter?" Maria droned again, smiling a little. Gravelyn shook her head robotically, taking another sip from the bottle without knowing it. "See? Even if you find it disgusting, you still can't stop." Prying the bottle from her lips, she quickly and roughly capped it, nearly throwing it to the table.

"Maria... you have to tell me... what am I?"

"I thought the blood would have been a dead give away. Listen, kid. You're young, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, alright? What drinks blood, fears daylight, and wears black and red silk capes?" Gravelyn chuckled some.

"That's an easy one. Vampires. But everyone knows Vampires are as dead as magic is."

"Magic's dead, huh?" Maria scoffed, opening her hand, creating a pillar of fire in her palm. Gravelyn's eye creaked open wider. "Magic ain't dead kid. It's just rescinded. Vacation, if you will." Dispersing the pillar of fire, Maria scooted a little closer to Gravelyn. "Look, there are some things I need to teach you, okay? Some things vital to your; and my, survival. But once I teach you, you're in. You can't back out." Gravelyn nodded.

"Alright. Teach me." Maria smiled.

"Alright. Get comfortable. This may take a while."

-Two Hours Later-

Gravelyn's head was spinning from all the information Maria had crammed in it. So much to remember, so much to know...

"...And that's the gist of it." Maria finished, taking a drink from her water glass. "Any questions?"

"N-no..." Gravelyn responded. "A few things do bother me... like... in books I've read, Vampires die in the sun... or at least sparkle..." Maria shuttered at the word 'sparkle'. Too often has that book been brought up, she was ready to kill something.

"No. That's just a little thing to spice to pot, ya know. Vampires don't die in sunlight, it just makes us weaker. And the sparkling thing..." She waved a hand to her. "I'd very much appreciate it if you never mentioned that book again..."

"Yes, ma'am."

"So, are you still a little thirsty?"

"A little, yea..." Gravelyn gripped her stomach as the semi-full bag for food and blood grumbled in her belly.

"That's the downside to dead blood. It tastes good, but isn't very filling.."

"'Dead Blood'?" Gravelyn asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"It's a term we use to describe blood that's been outside the body for longer then one hundred and sixty eight hours, roughly seven days. Dead blood is blood that, in the human world, cannot be used in transfusions, as most of the components that make it usable to the human body have died. However, we can still drink it as a poor way of feeding, but it's about as filling as three potato chips." Maria ran off, staring into the drink glass.

"Okay... So, what do I have to do..."

"Here..." Maria reached into her pocket and took out a one hundred credit note, giving it to Gravelyn. She also took a set of keys from the other pocket, making sure the redhead got them too.

"Whazzis?" Gravelyn asked, looking at the money and keys.

"Take my car, and go get yourself a prostitute."

"A what!?"

"Hey, don't knock it. Sometimes a twenty and a nice car can get you a good snack. Trust me."

"I've never picked up a prostitute in my life, and I don't plan on starting."

"Look, Gravelyn." Maria muttered, scooting right next to Gravelyn. She put an arm on her shoulder. "I was much like you when I first became a Vampire. I refused to drink. I went three months without a drink once. Worst three months of my life. Believe it or not, while hiring a prostitute in the generally accepted terms is illegal... doing it to stay alive is fine." The redhead slowly took the keys and money.

"I don't think the suburban you drove me here in is what I would call a 'nice car'."

"Oh, no that's not the suburban keys. Those go to my Corvega." Maria responded, finishing her drink.

"A Corvega? Where'd you get the money to afford a Corvega?"

"I'm a very rich woman. But trust me. Remember what I told you, Gravelyn. You're on of the damned and the fallen now. By the end of this night, solicitation of prostitution will probably be the least of your sins. Just don't wreck my car, okay?"

"How do I... I mean... you know... do it?"

"That I can't tell you Gravelyn. It's in the blood. You'll know what to do when the time comes. It's all instinct."

"Great..." Gravely muttered, going outside.

-An Hour Later.-

The rain came racketing down on the streets of Babylon.

"I hate the rain..." The young woman on the streetcorner muttered. Tossing her wet blonde hair out of her face, she swore under her breath for this life. She blamed her mother, mainly. She was a working woman, too, and god-damn her for just having to follow in her foot steps. "Damn you, Mercuria." She swore to herself, sticking a cigarette in her mouth and lighting it, the small flame flickering at the end of the white killer. Even past the pouring rain, her blue eyes flickered from the cigarette's reflection. To her right, the street shimmered as the rain parted before a hot-red Corvego pulling up. To her. She smiled inwardly. Finally. Time to get out of the rain, Mercuria. She took a few steps towards the curb as the window rolled down. Inside the car was a rather young-looking woman with fire red hair, and matching eyes. Mercuria frowned.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing standing in the pouring rain?" The girl in the car spoke, smiling. Mercuria scoffed.

"I'm sorry... I don't do girls."

"Sure? Have you ever tried it?" Mercuria froze. She hadn't, actually. Never really worked up the courage to do so.

"No... and I really don't plan on starting." Before she could wave her on and get back to standing in the rain., the flash of a rather large credit note caught her eyes.

"I'll make it worth your time." Her eyes shined at the money. That was practically three day's pay for her! The lure was too good. "You'll find that I'll be a lot more gentler then many of your male customers." The young girl's gears turned. On the one hand... this kind of money was a God Send for her... but... another girl? She weighed both options, and made her decision.

"Well... Mother always told me to try something before saying I hated it... Okay, I'll play ball for now. But if I don't like it-"

"You can keep the money, and I go my own way." The woman smiled. Mercuria nodded in a very sage-like fashion. Mercuria got into the car and shut the door, wiping rain drops from her clothes.

"So, what are you looking for tonight?" The woman smiled, pulling out of the road.

"Oh, just a little company."

"I'm not really sure that's worth the money... but... if you're still willing to pay..."

"Oh, don't worry. For me, it'll be worth it."

"I have a room just down the road, if that's okay with you."

"Perfect." Mercuria waited patiently as the car drove through the rain, the only sound the swiping of the wipers and the roar of the Corvego engine.

The woman stopped the car before the aformentioned hotel. The driver put the hotrod in park and turned to Mercuria, who seemed rather uneasy.

"Something wrong?" The redhead asked, one hand on the wheel.

"I'm sorry, but last time someone flashed that much money, I was robbed blind..."

"I can assure you I will not rob you. I'm only after a little company."

"But I don't know that.... I mean, you're a nice girl, but..." She looked around. "I'm sorry..." Mercuria grabbed the door handle.

"Wait..." The redhead spoke up. "How can I prove it to you? How can I prove to you that I'm not going to hurt you?" Mercuria thought for a moment.

"Most women who go for female prostitutes are usually straight, they just do it to-" The driver cut her off by pressing her lips to Mercuria's, wrapping one arm around her neck in that awkward across-the-car hug. The blond woman closed her eyes and sunk into the seat, exhaling a warm burst of air. Releasing Mercuria, the redhead smiled, twirling her hair with a finger.

"I'm not most women. You'll find me rather..." The woman chose her words carefully. "Unique." She smiled. "Besides. We're the only ones on this street. I would rather lie down and die before I let something happen to you." Mercuria, still rather stunned from her kiss.

"I believe you..." She moaned, practically in a daze. The redhead smiled, and opened her door, running around to the passenger's side, opening Mercuria's door, allowing her to make a dash for the awning. The redhead shut the door, locked it, and ran to the same awning.

"So, where is your room?" Mercuria looked about, finding that she was surprisingly close to her assigned room of one twelve.

"Right here, actually." Mercuria took her key from her purse and opened the door. The hotel room was rather plush. A nice, clean room, not like a cheap motel. Which added to this young working woman's reputation. She was obviously well-enough off to pay for such an expensive room, relatively speaking, of course. The redhead shut the door behind her, moving her wet hair from her eyes. "So, what kind of company are you looking for?" Mercuria asked, putting her purse on the table.

"Just something to take the edge off. It's been a long week, you know?"

"Don't I!" Mercuria smiled, releasing a little pent up stress. "Yulgar's always looking for money, it's a never ending cycle..." Mercuria read the look on the other woman's face. "Oh... uh... Yulgar's my... uh... 'sponsor'."

"I see... Do you need to... do anything before hand?" Mercuria smiled.

"No, dear... I'm all yours." The redhead smiled at the words, and took a few steps forward. She placed her hands on her bare shoulders, rubbing them softly. She put her head a little closer to Mercuria's neck and sniffed, a sweet perfume coming to her nostrils.

"Mmmm..." She smiled. "You smell divine..." Mercuria's cheeks flared at the compliment. "Absolutely divine... oh, I could just eat you right up... Lucky for you, I'm on a strict diet." The blush reddened.

"Aren't you the charmer." She felt a kiss on her neck, a soft, slightly cold sensation on her skin. She shivered.

"Are you alright?"

"Yea... it's just..." Mercuria blinked twice. "You're lips are cold..." The redhead smiled.

"I guess... you're just so attractive, you must be sucking all the heat out of me..." Another shade of red appeared, this one considerably darker. Her skin flared with a surge of heat.

"Oh my... I... No one's ever told me that... Do you really think so?"

"Of course, my little angel. I could never lie to you." Snuggling her face a little deeper into Mercuria's neck, the redhead reached around to pulled the red silk top up, Mercuria offering no resistence.

"My name's-" Mercuria was interrupted by the redhead's finger pressing against her lips, and a soft 'shh'.

"We don't need names, angel. We don't need them..." The woman removed her own blouse, tossing it on the bed. Under the white bra, Mercuria could tell she had a very petite figure, her breasts small, but still rather sumptuous. The redhead slowly walked Mercuria to the bed, sitting her down very gently, climbing up and sitting on the bed, straddling Mercuria's lap, knees on the bed. Mercuria's eyes closed as the woman kissed and licked her neck, chin, and practically every other part of her head, planting a few long, wet kisses on her lips.

"My god... if this is a dream, don't wake me..." she moaned as a small smile crossed the redhead's lips. Opening her mouth and letting out a light hiss, the woman bit onto Mercuria's neck. She blacked out nearly instantly.

-An Unknown Amount of Time Later-

Mercuria awoke with a massive hangover, and a feeling of weakness in her legs and arms. Sitting up slowly on the bed, she regained her bearings. Her initial thoughts were 'crap! She robbed me!', but after stumbling out of bed, nearly falling twice, and a scan of her purse put that to rest. Everything was in perfect order, just as she remembered it. Except for one thing. A folded piece of paper carelessly jammed in the leather back between a can of mace and her lipstick. She took it out, unfolded it, and read aloud.

"My Sweet Angel. If you're reading this, then you've no doubt awoken. I'm sorry, but I appear to have worn you out last night. No need to concern yourself, as you'll see everything's still there. As promised, your money's on the dresser... right under your blouse. On my way out, I was visited by your 'sponsor', who made the mistake of thinking I killed you. Don't worry, both of us are alive... but he is a tad... hospitalized. I'm... not who you think I am, and that's fine with me. I can't tell you what or who I am. It wouldn't be safe. But please... if you liked what happened last night, please don't be afraid to call. I'm always looking for company." There was a phone number written under the message. It continued for a bit. "Sincerely," She squinted to see the name past the lipstick mark covering it. She just made out 'Gravelyn'. Gravelyn... that's the name of the woman who churned her stomach and pushed her buttons in all the right ways. Violently tearing through her bag, she flung everything out to retrieve her cell phone. She found Yulgar, deleted his name and number, and replaced it with the number on the paper. And for name, she put 'My Sweet Angel'.

Ending Author's Note: So, apparently Gravelyn took to the whole blood sucking thing quite quickly. And what of Mercuria? Will she make a return appearance. Possibly. But I can't say. It's not because I don't know, but because it's fun to watch you lot writhe in anticipation. MWA HA HA! We're coming to As Time Goes By's end. It'll be over in about... oh... three more chapters. Be on the watch for an update!

Ending Author's Note 2: I'd put a lipstick print here... but I don't think I can do that on the internets... and considering it's weird for a guy to wear lipstick, I think I'll pass...


	15. I Can't Say 'I Love You'

I Can't Say I Love You; Or "New Beginnings"

Fourteen

Maria heard the engine from her newer-then-punk Corvego roar into the driveway, the lights bouncing about along the walls and ceiling, the engine dying there, the lights following suit. Maria turned the television back on and smiled, taking a small sip from her cup. Looks like Gravelyn's back. Maria looked at her watch, still not used to this 'analog display' they invented a couple years back. Too many hands, too hard to read... let's see... big hand is the minute one, and it's sitting right behind six... about three notches back... little hand is the hour hand... and it's sitting halfway between three and four... that's makes the time around three twenty seven. Give or take a minute or so. Gravelyn managed to get what she needed done done in under two hours. A new record. Maria finished what was in her cup and stood, taking a few slow steps to the door. Turning the handle and opening the wooden door, she was greeted by Gravelyn's face, which was now looking healthier then when she left.

"Welcome back." Maria spoke, letting the redhead back in. "You look a lot better. I take it you enjoyed your meal?"

"Oh, you better believe I did." The younger, less experienced vampire nearly collapsed. "Whoa... sorry... I'm kinda woozy..." Maria was right with her as her legs gave out, causing her to collapse into the green-haired woman's arms. "Oh... wow, what's wrong with me?"

"Blood Euphoria. It's a common affliction younger vampires go through after their first meal, or when a vampire finally eats after an extended period. Don't try to use your legs for a few minutes, you'll only become closer friends with the floor. Here... lean on me, I'll get you to the couch."

"Ah... thank you..." Maria braced Gravelyn's torso with her right arm, locked around her stomach, just under her breasts. For a split second, Gravelyn's cheeks matched her hair.

What is it with me? Gravelyn thought. I've been touched like this dozens of times... I was the captain of the girl's wrestling team in High School, for heaven's sake! This is one of the basic grapples we were all taught. Dozens of women, whom I don't even know have done this so... why does this feel so... different? Gravelyn's left hand snaked around Maria's neck, grabbing on to her collar lightly, supporting her own weight. Gravelyn's other hand folded over her chest where her heart was. She chuckled a little.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to not feeling that thing anymore..." She muttered more to herself. Maria shook her head some.

"You'll miss it for the first year or so, but after a while, you'll hardly remember it." Maria muttered, putting Gravelyn on the couch, allowing her to rest.

"Maria...?" The redhead's voice came. Maria grunted a response. "Can I ask a personal question...?"

"I suppose."

"When you first became a vampire... what was your... erm..." She struggled to find the words. "Did you..." Maria smiled a little.

"No." She lifted her head and looked at the ceiling. "No. No I wasn't." She sighed. "His name was Angela Wolf. Of course, he hated that name. Oh my god did he hate that name. We all knew him as Wolfblitzer." She cracked a little smile, but it faded quickly. "We met when I was fifteen. He was this black-haired... self centered, egotistical brat... but so cute... and good. We climbed the ladder of Guardianship hand in hand, he and I..." Maria let a sigh escape. "For the longest time, we were inseperable, he and I. We dated for what seemed like an eternity."

"What happened?" She asked. Maria's smile vanished.

"When I was eighteen, I was sent on a special mission to Darkovia... It's serene now... but back then it was a haven for creatures of the night. From werewolves, to vampires... I was to act as a messenger girl. To deliver a message to the Vampire Queen. Little did I know the note also contained a contract for a personal body guard to be assigned to her. Me. The castle's nothing but dust these days, but back then it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen... When I first saw Safiria, something in my mind clicked. My conscious screamed to me with a silent voice..."

"What did it say?" Maria frowned.

"Run. Run as fast as you can in the opposite direction, Maria! Run until your legs give out and your heart explodes. Run away, just do not go in that door..."

"What did you do?"

"What my head told me not to. I went in the door. Long story short... the vampire queen seduced me over the course of a few hours... and before I could say Rumpelstiltskin, I was in bed with her..." Maria grabbed the bridge of her nose with her thumb and middle finger, and massaged the spot gently. "That was the night I died. In more then one way."

"I see... you don't have to continue if you don't want to."

"No... no, this is liberating... I feel so good to get this off my chest..." Maria recomposed herself. "From that night on, I lied to everyone I knew. I lied through my teeth to everyone who called me friend. I spent years trying to explain to Wolfblitzer why our relationship ended... and I could never find a good enough excuse... he always looked at me and said 'It's okay, Maria. I understand. These things happen. I'm sure I'd have done the same thing if I was in your shoes.'. But I knew that was a mask. Deep down he was shattered when I came back from Darkovia that night. Until that night, I had never refused his touch... or his kiss... But that night I did... I pushed him away when he tried to touch me... He gave me this look... this look I'll never forget. It screamed in a silent voice 'why? Why don't you love me?' It was a question I could never answer. And still can't.

"I didn't love Safiria... not at least, at first. During the first year or so, I hated her. I hated her and everything she was. She robbed me of my freedom, my life, my purpose for living. I was a shell of the woman I once was. We both knew, deep down I hated her. She tried to ignore it, and I tried to keep that hate alive for as long as I could. When the flames of anger towards her finally died, I was left with the empty hole Wolfblitzer left in my heart. A hole that demanded to be filled. And I filled it with Safiria. I slowly replaced flames of hate with flames of love. I forced myself to love her, and I eventually fooled myself. I told myself I loved her, and we eventually married.

"The night before our wedding... I confessd to Natalya... my sister... I confessed to Nat about my feelings... about how I felt trapped with Safiria. She only offered a little smile, kissed my forehead and told me 'sis, you're nervous. Get some sleep before you start seeing flying moglins.'" Maria chuckled a little. "She just couldn't see that it wasn't nervousness talking... it was sanity."

"Please..." Gravelyn began. "You don't have to go on..."

"Gravelyn..." Maria took the redhead's shoulders, and looked at her. "Listen to me. I gave you the one gift you've always wanted. I've told you what you need to survive in this world. I'm even willing to give you a place to stay. But you've got a very important choice to make. A choice I never had. The front door is open. If you wish, you take those keys, that car, and leave. You drive off into the moonlight, and never look back. Live your life as you like, and let me live mine. You forget I ever existed. You can do that, or you can stay with me. Live here for a while, until you're ready. I will not force anything on you. You don't have to decide now. Take your time."

"Maria, listen to ME, now." Gravelyn took Maria's hands from her shoulder, clasping them together before her, shielded by her own hands. "Even if you told me everything I'll ever need to live, I couldn't think of a better way to spend this new lease on life then with you. You've opened my eyes to the fealties and flaws of humanity, you've opened your heart to me, which is more then I can admit doing for you... You've done so much for me, I can't just leave you. Humans weren't meant to live alone-" Maria tried to talk, which Gravelyn spoke over. "Vampires aren't meant to live alone, either. I love you, Maria. Whether it be like a child loves her mother, or how a husband loves his wife, I can't tell... but I do love you Maria, and I couldn't be happier then if I spent my eternity with you." Maria smiled.

"You're such a good lier... much like I was..."

"Maria, I'm not lying. I do love you. And I can tell... by the way you gave me a second chance, that deep down, you love me too." Maria's ridged face went sterner.

"I told a woman I loved her once. With no less honesty then you show me, and look what happened to her... Gravelyn..." Maria kissed the redhead's hands. "As much as I'd love to, as happy as it would make me to tell you what's on my mind..." She inhaled, putting her forehead on her hands. "I can't." Gravelyn frowned, a little whine escaping her lips. "I can't look you in the eyes and say I love you...

"It's not like I don't want to! I do, believe me, I do! But..." Maria cracked a smiled, drawing her tongue lightly up the redhead's hands, reversing her frown. "But that doesn't mean it isn't true. Gravelyn, I'm happy... even damn proud that you're willing to spend eternity with me, but you have to understand... it won't be happy... at least not for me." Gravelyn smiled, nestling closer to Maria, their noses rubbing together.

"As long as I'm with you, I couldn't be happier. No matter what you go through." She graced a light kiss to Maria's cheek, a light growl rumbling in her throat. "Come hell or high water." Maria couldn't help but wince at the reference, the same words echoing in Maria's mind, in an entirely different voice, Rayne's face flashing in her mind. She shook the image loose, smiling once more.

This smile wasn't forced. It wasn't conditioned. It was sincere. The first time Maria's been sincere in a very long time. Maria found it liberating to be so honest to someone new. Although, sour thoughts couldn't help but worm their way into Maria's head.

"_I hate to admit it... and I definitely won't tell Gravelyn... but I'm starting to think that... maybe the story I told Death wasn't far from the truth..._" The words filled her head, swimming about in her brain, and piercing her heart. "_Will I eventually tire of her, as I did with Safiria? Will I eventually drive her to death as well?_" Gravelyn's head laid gently on Maria's lap, a smile on the redhead's face.

-Just Outside the Window, Looking In.-

Staring through the window, into the well-lit family room stood the visage of a pale, raven haired woman. She smiled sweetly at the pair.

"Good for you, Kitten. Looks like you might finally have gotten the picture." Turning the bottom of the lipstick stick, she drew a fairly think line across her bottom lip and puckered, spreading it to her top lip. Dropping the lipstick back into the handbag, she took the sunglasses from the top of her head and placed them over her eyes. "I couldn't be in love with a woman who only knew death and destruction. And a woman who only knew death and destruction could never love me. I've hurt you, Kitten. And for that, I truly am sorry. But in wounding you, I've unlocked something you've long forgotten. Yourself." Reaching once more into her purse, she took a letter from within, and opened it up once again.

The letter was dated several days before Safiria's death, and was written in her own hand. These words were written there on.

"_Kitten. I know this might be a bit hard for you to grasp. It's like talking to me from the grave, but there are some things you need to remember. Remember the promise you made all those years ago. About loving til the grave. Let your new flame into your heart as you let me in. I may be gone, but I am not lost. Remember to think of me often, but pay your new flame all the attention she needs._

"_Kitten. I love you. Now and forever. But things need to move on. WE need to move on. Just like time, we have to go. Time goes by, as does life. Move on, and live on._

"_I love you Maria. Now, love her as I love you._

"_Safiria."_

Stuffing the letter back into the envelope, she closed it, sealing the flap with a kiss from her made-up lips, the lipstick keeping the flap down. She walked to the mail slot, pushed it open quietly with her finger, and pushed it in. As the street lamps began to be drowned by the light from the sun raising in the distance, the pale vixen walked down the street, her red, regal dress swaying at her feet. Even in the low light, one could see a pair of small wings adorning her head.

Life had been good to Maria since that day. The Paxian conflict eventually fizzled when Babylon ended the war by launching a super-powered missile, one designed to annihilate anything in it's path, leaving only a radiation spot in it's wake. It was only the next day the Paxians were itching to sign a treaty.

As promised, Maria hung up her mantle of soldier. Retiring from a life of combat and death, she tried to reclaim something she never had. A life. She took a job as a teacher in Babylon's High School, while Gravelyn laid low, allowing the news of her death to settle into the mundane population. As the years wore on, Maria's aged face began to almost reverse, becoming younger with each passing year. Whether this was a direct effect Gravelyn had on her, or if it was because she could think about things other then death for once, it's unclear, but it was not unnoticed.

For once, Lore had it's first prolonged peace. The world of Lore lay dormant, the drums of war silent, for three hundred and sixty eight years. When a new threat would arise. One called the Shadowscythe.

Ending Author's Note: Last leg peeps. Two more chapters left. Sorry about the long Hiatus. Mad case of Writer's Block, coupled with Work and School. All work and no play makes Xeno a dull boy.


	16. Epilogue

Author's Note: MEGA UNAWESOME SUPER LONG HIATUS DONE! Sorry about the super delay peeps, but here we are. Last two legs of As Time Goes By. I've merged a few BattleTech terms into the base MechQuest terminology, so, fans of both series, like myself, should be ecstatic.

Long Unlive the Shadowscythe!

Fourteen

"My apologies for waking you all up so early, but those rat bastards don't work on bank hours." The stout man standing before the monitor began as the soldiers lined the room, each taking a chair assigned to him or her. Most of the soldiers were yawning, rubbing their faces or eyes, and generally looking dead on their feet from lack of sleep. Two eerily spry figures pushed past the fatigued ones and took the front two seats before the stout man in the important-looking uniform. "Ah! Maria, Sera, so good of you to join us. Have a seat and look alive, soldiers, we got us a problem." The monitor behind him clicked on to an image of a base built on some distant rock Soluna had some stupid interest in, like a mining colony, or a Rehabilitation Center, some stupid shit like that. "Six hours ago, the Shadowscythe launched an assault on the Kerbal Mining Colony on MacDuff." Mining colony. Maria called it. "They leveled the facility, but thankfully, it was attacked during a shift-change and casualties were minimal. Property damage, however, is extremely high. We traced their attack to a staging facility about seventeen clicks north-north east of the Kerbal Mining Colony. We're going to pay them a little visit, and show them what happens when you fuck with the best that G.E.A.R.S. has to offer."

The monitor suddenly shifted to a raggity-looking, cut-and-paste special 'Mech the Shadowscythe have seemed to suddenly become fond with, deploying no fewer the forty of the stupid things per engagement. "You're all familiar with the Dasher, yes?" The 'Mech was called a Dasher due to it's impressive speed, if not lackluster everything else. "We expect resistance to comprise of absolutely none of these things, and almost completely of their Apocalypse and EarthQuaker class 'Mechs, so we'll be giving any one of you who doesn't have at least a Heavy Class 'Mech a loaner from G.E.A.R.S., do try not to scuff the paint job, yea?" The sleepy heads in the room nodded on autopilot as the man continued.

The women in the front, the two spry figures from before, both wore matching uniforms, one with emerald sea-foam hair to her shoulders, the other with vibrant crimson hair at about her mid back, both with determination behind their fire eyes. The green-haired woman, who had a name patch on her chest which read 'Maria 'Doom Knight' Despair', raised her hand and asked with a cold efficiency before acknowledged. "Any advanced orders, sir, or is this a standard Smash and Flash?" The man nodded and took a breath to continue.

"Yes. Intel reports the leader of this invasion is in a Battlemaster class 'Mech. He'll be pretty easy to identify once the shit hits the fan... command wants his 'Mech disabled and him captured at any cost. You know the drill, blow a leg out and leave the bastard for the Birds." Capturing an enemy 'Mech was as easy and destroying a leg and letting a dropship pick it up. The figure beside Maria raised her hand, this one with a name patch that read 'Sera 'Empress' Despair'. "Yes, Empress?"

"Request permission for Maria'nd I to lead the charge." She stated firmly. The man's smile brightened with her request.

"That's what I like about you two. You're not afraid to get your hands dirty. Very well, Empress, Doom Knight, you'll lead the charge. I want you to break into three squads, the first lead by Werepyre, the second lead by Guardian, and the third by Lady Vanity. Doom Knight and Empress will have your orders once you reach the landing zone. You know how to do your jobs, head out!" He clapped once, all the assembled soldiers standing and shuffling to their 'Mechs.

G.E.A.R.S., or Galactic Earth Assault Reconnaissance Squad, was a special team formed ten years ago to assess and destroy any threats to Lore or her home system. Their mobile unit of choice? The BattleMech, often called 'Mechs for short; an eighty foot tall, two hundred ton walking tank, designed to dish as much punishment as it can take. Doom Knight and Empress, two average members of G.E.A.R.S. are the subject of this portion of the tale. Average pilots with a secret. Empress, a tactical genius with near computer-like reflexes, can asses any situation in a nanosecond, and make equally fast decisions. Doom Knight, a master of all weapons and 'Mech designs, knowing exactly where to hit an enemy 'Mech for maximum damage. Alone they are lethal to any foe. Together? They're unstoppable.

High above the planet MacDuff, a G.E.A.R.S. Dropship prepares to deploy the strike team, consisting of eleven 'Mechs, one short then what would usually be deployed. The green-haired Doom Knight climbed the tall ladder connecting the ground of the ship with the cockpit of her one hundred and fifty ton Black Recluse 'Mech with more agility then most of the other pilots had fully awake. Seating herself in the leather chair and flicking a few buttons, she closed the cockpit lid; placing the helmet on her head and adjusting the microphone.

"Doom Knight to Empress, copy?" She spoke to the only person who really mattered.

"This is Empress, my dear Doom Knight, I copy you loud and clear." Came the voice of Empress across the radio. Empress, in the other Black Recluse 'Mech to Doom Knight's left, clicked a few buttons and primed her payload of almost entirely ballistic missile weapons, while Doom Knight charged her armament of almost entirely energy weapons. There came a chuckled from Empress. "Remember what I told you, Maria? When we first met?"

"About your dad thinking some ancient space empire is going to come back? Yea." Doom Knight responded, knowing exactly what she was to say.

"Yep. I don't think dad was as crazy now as I did then." Both parties laughed as their 'Mechs powered up fully, the spider-like 'Mech chittering it's legs in place, ready for action. The 'Mech was a unique model, commisioned by both Empress and Doom Knight under special circumstances. It's initial form is that of a large, mechanical spider, it's many legs used to transport the 'Mech and pilot great distances faster then any two-legged 'Mech could. In combat, it transformed.

"Drop-Down is in forty seconds." The announcement came over their radios as the short dozen 'Mechs walked into place near the drop door. "We'll drop you right into the fray, so be ready to come out shooting." There came the chorus of 'roger' as everyone confirmed their objectives. Grinding slowly, the large metal doors opened to reveal the surface of MacDuff, a barren wasteland unfit for basic life. So fit the Shadowscythe would build a base here, where they're most at home.

"Oh, man, that's a long drop..." One pilot mused over his radio.

"What, you want us to jump?" Another chimed in.

"That's what 'drop' means you idiot! You're a G.E.A.R.S. Pilot! Start acting like one!" Their commander's voice came again.

"I thought you used 'drop' in a figurative sense! I've never done a hot drop before!" The commander sighed, probably rolling his eyes before continuing.

"Alright, Doom Knight, Empress! Show these spineless maggots how a real pilot drops into a mission!" Doom Knight's knuckles tightened around the controls.

"Roger." With faith and daring, the pair of Black Recluse 'Mechs leapt off the ledge, their spider-like legs ready to break their fall. Almost instantly when they landed, the abdomen section of the spider broke open, revealing a pair of legs. A set of arms sprouted almost magically from under the spider, pushing up on it's body onto the newly formed legs. The old spider legs changed positions, locking onto it's back and sprouting a shiny Pulse Laser each, ready for combat. The head of the spider broke apart, revealing the human like head of the Black Recluse in all it's glory. The only 'Mech the Shadowscythe have never seen.

"Alright you worthless sons of mongrels!" Lady Vanity ordered to the rest of the units, her voice booming in the microphone. "Let's not let Empress and DK have all the fun! Drop!" Mustering courage from gods knows where, the other 'Mechs leapt to the battlefield, where Empress and Doom Knight were already ankle deep in laser and missile fire. Searing beams of pure energy ripped into the black armor of Shadowscythe 'Mechs, turning their inner workings into a fine pulp, melting armor panels together and fusing internals into one solid piece.

"All 'Mechs, break formation and fire at will!" Lady Vanity called in her aggressive, fierce tone, the 'Mechs in her lance breaking their tight formation to attack the enemies.

"Alright, you heard the lady." Came Guardian's reassuring, soft tone. "Make those alien bastards regret ever coming to Lore. Break formation and engage." He continued, his lance sprinting forward into the fray.

"C'mon guys, let's not be last to the feast! Rip 'em apart! Tear 'em to shreds! Let nothing stand in our way!" Came the gruff, powerful voice of Werepyre. The eleven 'Mechs had all broken off, chosen targets and were busy chipping away at armor and pieces, arms and legs of Shadowscythe 'Mechs flying off their respective bodies at obtuse angles, smoldering as their wires sparked, no longer receiving the commands to fire their weapons.

"Golden Rule, G.E.A.R.S." Doom Knight bellowed over the radio as the battle began to wane in G.E.A.R.S.' favor rather quickly. "Kill the meat..." She continued, a laser burst shaving her target's head clean from it's shoulders, the useless hunk of machine falling more or less unharmed to the ground. "Save the metal." Less accurate pilots could attack an equally vulnerable, but considerably larger target to affect the same result, such as Blue Mage, one of the 'Mech pilots in Werepyre's wing, blasting the left leg off her unsuspecting target, causing the Shadowscythe 'Mech to slump onto it's face, never to stir again.

"Ah, you and your rules, Doom Knight." Came Werepyre again, laughing that cocky laugh Doom Knight hated so much. "Just blast the shit out of them. Let the Rats deal with salvage." He continued, lining onto a larger 'Mech's torso and priming all of his weapons. "Boom goes the dynamite!" He grinned as he pounded his fist down on the 'ALPHA STRIKE' button, all of his weapons firing in unison.

"Power Drain detected. Shutdown Sequence initiated." Another calm hand had found it's way to the 'Override Shutdown Sequence' button so he could continue to fight. Easing off the Alpha Strikes until his reactor had a chance to recuperate from the strain, he fired a few of his smaller, less energy consuming weapons in the meantime, to keep the heat on the Shadowscythe, without jeopardizing his own safety.

"Werepyre, what part of 'minimize Alpha Strike usage' didn't you understand?" Empress commanded, her voice stern.

"Minimize." He responded in a smart-ass tone. "That means do it as much as possible, right?" Doom Knight rolled her eyes to this and muttered to herself.

"I hope you get shot. I really do." She clicked her radio on and opted for a more civil approach. "Don't do that again, Werepyre, or I'll shoot you myself."

"What's wrong with a little Alpha Strike?" He lined up on another Shadowscythe 'Mech and fired the aforementioned Strike again, completely missing, giving the 'Mech a chance to take his leg out with a missile barrage. "Oh, don't answer..." He grunted as the static of his 'Mech falling on it's face cleared.

"Poetic Justice." Blue Mage smirked in her own unique way. "I'd tell you she told you so, but I think you know that already." She continued.

"Now, now, Blue Mage. No need to patronize the simpler-minded students." Turning around and greasing the 'Mech which disabled Werepyre, Empress' radar clicked to active scan, searching for hidden and powered down 'Mechs. "No new 'Mech's detected. Four hostiles remain. Finish up, people." She ordered, one of her lasers threading the needle between Doom Knight's legs, to strike a Shadowscythe 'Mech in the leg.

"Hell of a shot..." Doom Knight complimented, a little smile on her face. With a silent bow in her cockpit, Empress acknowledged the praise and continued the fight. It had been a total of five minutes from start to finish before the battle was over, Shadowscythe units littering the battlefield in various stages of dismemberment and disarray, some smoldering arm sticking out of the sand just before Guardian.

"S'at it?" Guardian started, scanning the area for additional contacts, coming up clean.

"Radar's clean." Frogzard, one of Lady Vanity's soldiers, continued.

"Probe isn't picking up anything suspicious..." Lady Vanity herself answered. "I think it's safe to head home."

"Agreed." Came Doom Knight. "Alright everyone, let's head for home." She punched a few keys on the console of the 'Mech she piloted, summoning a pick up from their dropship, all the while her thoughts wandered as the movement of the 'Mech lulled her into her own thoughts.

"_Lore. A world of constant conflict and strife, locked forever in an eternal battle where there is no end to bloodshed, and no finality of death. Monsters once roamed this world, attacking people who were only trying to survive. Those were the golden days of Lore, when heroes... real heroes who fought face-to-face with the enemy and watched the life leave their body as their blade drunk in their spilt blood... not like the so-called 'heroes' of today, who push a button and watch millions die from miles away. That's not heroism... it's cowardice. Those were the golden days... when heroes still existed. I was one once... a hero. My name was one of prestige, one of honor. Back when honor meant something. A name to send shivers down the spine of even the mightiest of men. Now? Now it's nothing more then an archaeic legend. The Alabastor Emerald, as the legend speaks. A woman of power, in white armor. Sickening. They believe anyone who stands and fights to be a legendary figure. War isn't beautiful. War isn't pretty. It's ugly and vulgar, turning innocent young men and women into killers. That's something that will never change. Because war never changes._"

"'C'mon, Doom Knight, get on the Drop Ship. You were the one who wanted to go home." Came Empress' voice over the radio, snapping Doom Knight out of her trance.

"Yea... yea, sorry..." Her radio clicked over to a secure channel as she climbed aboard.

"You alright, darling? You don't usually space like that..."

"Just thinkin' Gravelyn... just thinking..." Empress paused for a moment.

"You must be thinking... you've not called me Gravelyn in years..." Doom Knight gave a grim, weak laugh.

"Maybe I should do it more often, beautiful..." This prompted nothing from Empress as the door on the dropship shut, the vessal raising into the sky, carting the victors back home.


	17. Finale

Author's Note: Finale. That's a sad word. It means both an end to a long journey, one I'm not keen to go on again... but it also means the end of an era. As Time Goes By... will probably be my last Adventure Quest story I'll write. I'm trying to faze fanfictions out in lieu of a full-blown novel, but it'll be hard. You guys have been with me from my rocky starts to this bitter end, and for that, there is no amount of words I can put here to thank you enough. Maria and I have both made friends during this long journey; wonderful, beautiful, dear friends. We'll both cherish the wonderful people who have helped us until now, and we only hope to grow.

Just Remember: Xenolord NEVER forgets those who help him.

"As Time Goes By"

Finale

The shaggy, brown-haired young man gave a great yawn, fatigue riddling his bones as he sat up at this ungodly hour typing on the little computer he had on his lap, the sounds of his internet-based music slightly drowning out the sound of water running in the near-by bathroom. His room mate was awake, which was funny. She'd always been a bit of an early riser, but no more then a half hour to forty minutes before him... and she always woke him up before doing anything as attention-stealing as having a shower.

Despite the fatigue, the young man continued to plug away on the keys of the laptop, black words appearing faster then the little cursor could blink on the white page. Displacing his glasses quickly, he rubbed his eyes with a hand, trying to convince them to stay open just a bit long... just a bit longer... Another yawn and he mentally swore, racing to finish the words so he could get the hell back to sleep.

He wasn't thin. Most would consider his body type as 'slightly chubby', not quite to the 'overweight' stage, and nowhere near obese. His brown hair was messy, like he hadn't washed it in a few days, and his hazel eyes stood protected behind the shatter-resistant glass of his glasses, watching the words play across the page. He sat on the fake leather recliner, the laptop's mouse on the arm, dressed in a black t-shirt and a pair of ragged blue jeans as the sun was just starting to peak over the horizon. He gave one last read of what he had written and, despite being his own worse beta reader, saved what was typed, so he didn't have to do it again. Seven pages, and words in the thousands, he thought that was enough. He had hoped his room mate didn't mind him finishing her story for her, with his own ending. She'd been feeding him story ideas for two years now, and just when she was about to finish the latest one, she goes all quite on him, locks herself in her room and now she has a shower at... seven thirty four in the morning, without so much as a 'good morning'. Something was fishy...

The sound of the water running stopped, and the man pressed the mute button on his laptop near the screen and pressed the disk icon on the top of the screen, saving the words again, this time the last time, the finished copy. It had been a long shower, considerably longer then what she usually took, start to finish lasting a fairly impressive twenty minutes. Quietly pressing the lid on his laptop down, he shifted it to the table before him, untangling the power and mouse cords from his legs and standing, he cracked his neck and grunted with the mix of slight pain and relief. It wasn't long before the door to the bathroom opened, creaking loudly across the hall, the sounds of bare, wet feet across the wooden paneling floor a dead give away.

"You're up early." The man spoke, walking into the hallway to face his room mate, a towel wrapped around her chest, ending at about her knees, and another around her blonde hair. She stared at him for a few seconds before shaking her head and giving a fraud, dismissive smile.

"Good morning. I didn't expect you to be up so early."

"Yea..." The man began, looking around. "I could tell. You off somewhere, or something? Judging by the bags piled by the front door, I'd say away... and for good." Her smile faded, replaced by a genuine, sorrowful frown.

"Jake..." She mused, taking a step forward.

"Hey, it's alright. If you gotta go, you gotta go. I can't stop you from your destiny, I suppose." It was a touch hurtful of a thing to say but... all things considering it was the least hurtful thing the thought of at the moment. "Can I at least ask why you're leaving?"

"It's complicated." She answered nonchalantly, like she had planned the answer since her first day here. Jake, the young man with the brown hair, nodded and smiled.

"Yea... I suppose it would be. The bad answers are always complicated. I'm gonna take a guess... it was something I did that you're too polite to tell me about."

"No... no, it's not you at all... I can't explain exactly what it is... but I have to go... or something very bad will happen to you..." He became defensive of her suddenly.

"If you're being threatened, or intimidated, we have to go to the police."

"No, no we can't do that. They won't believe me... hell... I don't think anyone in this room believes me right now." Jake smiled and took a few more steps towards his room mate.

"Come on, Marie. We've been living in the same house for two years now. I think you know I'll believe anything you have to say."

"Not this you won't."

"Try me." He retorts instantly, the girl's face going red.

"Alright. Alright, here's the truth." She takes a deep breath and holds it before speaking. "I'm a four-thousand year old vampire, and if I don't leave this house within the hour, you'll die." Jake gave her a hug.

"See. The truth shall set us all free." He muttered.

"Wait... what? You- How?" Jake smiled as he held the girl in his hands, beads of water forming on her shoulders rolling down to soak into his black shirt.

"Process of elimination, and a small bit of ingenuity." He answered. "You've told me wonderful stories for the past two years... and with each story you've maintained the use of one central character, a powerful woman who's harder on herself then others... despite using a third-person omniscient point-of-view, you've never given the thoughts of the other characters. Because you didn't know them, right? You're not Marie Deveroux, you're Maria Despair, aren't you?" The woman smiled, putting one hand on the towel at her head, while the other extricated something from her eyes. With a pull from both hands and a flourish of her emerald hair, she gave a happy grunt.

"First time I've heard that in years." Her once-blue eyes had been turned into a beautiful crimson, fire and passion behind them.

"Come on, Maria. Stay. No one's forcing you to leave." The man felt a tap at his shoulder as a cold, gruff voice answered.

"Actually, my mortal friend... someone is." Releasing Maria from the hug, he turned to see the cold, lifeless face of a robe-wearing skeleton staring at him, a scythe clenched tight in his skeletal hands. Jake was unfazed by the grim visage before him, more amused that such a childish allegory for death was actually true. "You see... you should know by now that... Maria is under my... custodial protection, and I'm afraid her... feelings for you have grown as of late. Can't have her happy in eternal punishment, now can we?" The skeleton put a hand on his shoulder, practically draining all the heat and happiness from his body. "So just make things easier on yourself, boy. Let her go. Save your own life, and hassle for everyone... and just let this girl walk out of your life forever." The smart man would have taken Death's advice, walked out of the room and let Maria just walk out. But not Jake. He wasn't dumb... quite the opposite. Some would say that this man was smarter then the average man, and able to outwit anyone. He was about to put that rumor to the test.

"I can't just let her walk out, Death. If you've been watching us for half as long as I think you have, you should know how I operate. You're holding her prisoner, and I aim to set her free." Death gave a bone-chilling scoff.

"Oh, little man? How, pray tell, exactly do you plan to do that?"

"Maria once told me you don't refuse challenges... for people's soul, or whatever for." His teeth twisted into a sick grin.

" 'Tis true." He answered, Maria's face turning into a grim frown.

"Jake, don't! You can't beat him."

"You did. Several times. I'd like to say we're even in that regard."

"Let the boy try. Alright, kid. What are your terms, and game?"

"Game's simple. I will tell you a fact about yourself. If I speak correctly, you not only release Maria from her eternal punishment, but you leave me alone as well, forever."

"What you ask for is eternal life. Hasn't Maria's suffering told you enough that immortality is a bitch?"

"Only when you've got to suffer it alone."

"If that's your will, very well. Speak your falsehood." Jake gave a little smile, stood himself up straight, cleared his throat, and spoke very clearly:

"You will end my life now." Death gave a little grin.

"How good you are at predicting your own future!" Raising his scythe in the air, he paused. "Wait... wait if I do that, it would make you right..." He seemed to mill over the response possibilities for a moment. "But if I don't... that makes you wrong... which would make you right... which would..." He threw his head back and screamed. "GOD DAMN PARADOXES!" Jake smiled, giving a little triumphant 'humph' before giving Death an expectant look.

"Well. What do you say?" Growling low, Death looked down and sighed.

"Gah... fuck... I'm a ferryman of my word, Mortal. Neither of you will ever see me again, and I release Maria Despair from her eternal punishment." He got real close to Jake's face, his teeth chittering out of rage. "But mark my words, little boy. You've not seen the last of me. You've wronged me, Mortal... gravely. And it is not something I will forget. I guarantee you, my existence cannot end until yours does. Hear me?"

"Yea yea, whatever. Get out of here you bag of bones." With a huff and a puff of smoke, he vanished, leaving the two alone. Maria stared at Jake for a moment, disbelief and wonderment in her eyes. Once Jake was sure Death was gone, he let out a exasperated sigh. "Oh, thank god that worked... I thought it only worked in movies..."

"You stuck your neck out there... refused to save yourself... and even pulled me out of a three thousand year old torment... why?" Jake rubbed the back of his head uneasily, laughing.

"I guess you could say love makes us do stupid things sometimes. Besides... it's as you said... there's no more heroes in men... I guess I wanted to prove you wrong... at least in my case."

"You dumb little man..." She stormed closer to him and wrapped him in a hug. "You beautiful, dumb little man..."

"So, does this mean you'll stay? I can't live without you..." He paused for a moment while she thought. "No, I meant that literally I physically cannot afford this place by myself." Maria let out a laugh... not a stifled laugh, or a fraud laugh... this time, she laughed because she was genuinely happy. Happy for the first time in over three thousand years.

"Of course that means I'll stay... I'd be an idiot to leave you at a time like this... not after what you did for me..." Giving him a kiss, she smiled playfully. "You now... I know a few people who could use a place to stay... you could probably rent out that back bedroom for some extra cash."

"That's a great idea, but aren't you using that bedroom?" A single look from her was all he needed to understand what she meant. "Oooooh..."

-That Night-

The pair found themselves on the driveway of their little suburban home, sitting in wicker lawn chairs with a can of gas station beer in their hands. "...I didn't hate Safiria for what she did... I spent my whole first years as a vampire hating her guts more and more... I spent so much of it hating... I couldn't see what she had done for me..."

"What about Gravelyn? What happened to her?" She looked downcast at Jake's question, the man taking a drink from the can. "Sorry, too soon?"

"No... no I don't think so." Taking a deep breath and looking up at the stars, she sighed. "Gravelyn died... about five hundred years ago. A victim of the bubonic plague."

"I didn't think vampires could get plagues."

"Oh, we can. We're just usually more resistant to them. Gravelyn... fed off a few bad people... and wound up contracting a fairly bad case of it. She didn't last the night."

"I'm sorry..." Jake muttered taking a sip from the can, the woman drinking what was left in hers.

"Gravelyn lived as she always wanted to, and she died with no regrets. I still remember the last thing she said to me..." Crushing the can between her palms, she tossed it into the green recycling bin behind her, the aluminum container clattering noisily as it came to a rest inside the thick plastic bin. "She said 'Maria...'" She paused to stare at the stars. "'You've shown me more then I could have ever dreamed... sitting alone in that little bar that night, waiting for my nineteenth birthday to shower me with love and affection that I'd never get. You're a god-send, Maria... for everyone you're with. Even if death follows in your wake... I'll never stop loving you.'" She sighed, wiping a tear from her eyes. "Those were the last words she spoke. She died right after that. No pain... no suffering... just eternal rest." She picked up the chair and scooted just a little closer to Jake. "So, what are you going to do with your newfound immortality?" She asked idly, the man laughing.

"Spent all day thinkin' about that, and I think I have your answer, but first a question of my own."

"Go ahead."

"Which did you like better? Marriage to Safiria, or the carefree girlfriend relationship you had with Gravelyn?"

"Both were heavenly... I'd be loathe to choose one in particular but... the time I had with Gravelyn... you can't compare that to the love Safiria and I had. It was..."

"Magical?"

"Divine." She answered, smiling. Jake's eyes migrated to a tall woman jogging down the sidewalk in a sports bra and shorts, her long black hair flowing behind her, struggling to catch up.

"You know, Sara, you should really run in the daytime, where you're not liable to be decked by a speeding car." Jake mused, taking a beer from the cooler between he and Maria, tossing it to her. The girl caught it on her pass and slowed to rebuttle.

"I hate the sun. Too hot... saps the strength right out of me." Maria raised another beer, which she masterfully removed from the cooler without anyone's notice, and smiled.

"I hear you there, sister." With a little salute and a 'thank you' Sara downed the beer, crushed the can and tossed it into the bin, continuing her jog.

"That girl is one weird one... hell of a night owl."

"Some people just like the night."

(^_^)

Sara jogged off into the night, turning and watching as the two sitting in the lawn chairs vanished into the distance. She gave a smile and muttered to the night. "Just like that, Kitten... just like that."


End file.
